Kaieteur News

subsidise airfares after

Pres. Ali to unveil 5-member

...says inquiry will assess vessel seaworthiness, institutional failures and recommend reforms ...Opposition shut out, calls for livestreaming of

following deadly ferry disasters

...callsgrowforEdghilltodothesame Other nations’ ministers stepped down

mother calls on Govt. to ferry tragedy claims son development and recovery

new in search operations full inquiry, separate technical marine safety investigation

After six years of pumping oil, Guyana’s debt increased sixfold

Guyana is being strangled ever since oil was discovered and gold price began soaring. And the saddestpartisthat,nooneis comingtoourrescue.

NottheGovernment,not the opposition, not the institutions, or the citizens themselves trying to break freefromthischokeholdthat is tightening around this nation’swealth.

Ever since we began extracting oil in 2019 and gold price jumped up, Guyanese should have been

breathing prosperity Instead, the nation is strugglingtobreathe.

Everywhere you turn in the world, people are saying thesamething:

Guyana is booming, Guyana is becoming filthy rich. Guyana is one of the fastest-growing economies onEarth.

Those are the headlines. Those are the international reports. Those are the conversationstakingplacein boardrooms, investment

conferences, and financial institutionsacrosstheglobe.

Well, somebody please explainthistome.

Before the first barrel of oil was pumped in 2019, Guyana was struggling to meetitsyearlynationaldebt paymentsofjustUS$1.7B

Back then the country hadtoborrowandtightenits belttosurvive. Fastforward to2026,aftermorethanUS$ 100 billion worth of oil has been extracted from our ocean,thecountry’sdebthas soaredpassUS$10B.

We should all for a moment pause and think about that, our debt did not double, did not triple, nor quadruple, but rather it increased six times in six years.

The more oil we pumped; the more debts cameonourbacks.

Commonsense would tell you that after producing more than, US$100 billion worthofoil,thatdebtburden should have shrunk to nothing,insteadithasgrown

Businessman, Glenn Lall

sixtimeslarger

How does that happen?

howdoesacountrywitha. US$1 7B debt in 2019, produced over US$100B in oil, sinks itself into debt six times that US$ 1.7B in six years.

How do we generate more wealth than at any othertimeinourhistory,yet borrow more than ever before?

Back in 2019, Guyana

wasn’tknownasanoilgiant. Nobody called us an energy powerhouse Nobody described us as one of the richest countries in the making. We were simply known for exporting rice, sugar, timber, bauxite, fish, andgold.Earningunderone andhalfbillionUS.

that used to keep businesses,itspeopleandthe country floating above water At that time, the

exchange rate was $200 to US$1,withnocomplaintsof shortages.

Today in 2026, we’re exporting tens of billions of US dollars’ worth of oil, along with billions more from gold, bauxite, manganese, diamond and timber

The US dollar is tradingnowbetweenG$230 andG$240forUS$1,andit’s hardtoget.

Talktoimporters.Talkto manufacturers Talk to retailers. Talktocompanies trying to pay their overseas suppliers, they will tell you some of the saddest stories ever told to mankind, the hassletheygothroughtoget US$tomeettheirpayments.

The more wealth we extract from the ground and beneath the sea, the scarcer the US dollar becomes, and the nation sinks deeper and deeperintodebtstogetby

Are we are heading like Venezuela, Trinidad, Africa andAsianoilcountrieshere?

A handful of us walked 13 days, none stop from

BerbicetoEssequibointhat blazing sun and pouring rain, just to stop this nation from ending up exactly whereitistoday,swimming indebts

Wedidn’tmarchonlyfor ourselves. We did it for every child, every family, every business, every Guyanese,andourcountry

And while we were on those lonely roads, many of you watched from behind yourdoorsandwindows.

You knew why we were walking. You knew it was aboutGuyana’sfuture.

Yet party loyalty was stronger than the love for your country Political colours became more important than your children’sfuture.

Today, many of you celebrating a cash grant, a cash grant that is coming to you from loans, yes borrowed money, that your kids will scream to repay Come on Guyanese, you deservebetter,andlet’stake astandtowardsthat.

Othernations’ministersstepped downfollowingdeadlyferrydisasters

…CALLS GROW FOR EDGHILL TO DO THE SAME

In the wake of what is being described as Guyana’s deadliest maritime disaster, calls have intensified for Minister of Public WorksJuanEdghilltoresignorbe removed from office pending an independent investigation into the capsizingoftheMVBarima.

The 87-year-old vessel capsized on the night of July 18 while en route to Port Kaituma, Region One, claiming 73 lives, withdozensstillmissing.Asbodies continue to be recovered from the Atlantic Ocean and details of the tragedy emerge, politicians, civil societygroupsandmembersofthe public have argued that accountability should extend beyond the crew members and vesselmanagementteamwhohave alreadybeensenthome,toMinister Edghillhimself.

On July 19, Edghill dismissed claims that the vessel was overloaded or had suffered engine failure,statingthattheMVBarima waslicensedtocarry284tonnesof cargo and that its manifest showed 268 tonnes on board. He also said thevesselwaslicensedtocarry397 passengers but that only 116 were onboardatthetimeoftheincident. The following day, however, he acknowledgedadiscrepancyinthe passengercount,concedingthatthe manifest did not accurately reflect thenumberofpeopleonboard.

Questions have since been raised about the vessel’s maintenance, seaworthiness, regulatory oversight and manifest, and about whether it was overloaded with passengers and cargo. Survivors and relatives of victims have alleged the ferry was overloaded; government authoritieshavedeniedtheclaims.

Since the tragedy, opposition parties, indigenous organisations and activists have called for Edghill’s resignation or removal pending an independent investigation,pointingtoexamples from other countries where senior officials stepped down after major maritime disasters, accepting ministerial responsibility even beforeinvestigationsconcluded.

Notably,socialactivistSherlina Nageer and a small group of womenwerearrestedwhilestaging a protest calling for Edghill’s removalduringtheNationalPrayer Service held in honour of the MV Barima victims at the Kingston Seawall Bandstand. Police were recorded attempting to stop the women from protesting peacefully before arresting them; they were subsequentlyreleasedonself-bail.

OppositionLeader AzruddinMohamed

The joint opposition comprising We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), the

Alliance For Change (AFC), the Vigilant Political Action Committee (VPAC) and other opposition representatives have demanded Edghill’s immediate resignation.

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed said that with hopes fading of finding additional survivors and the death toll expected to surpass 100, both the crew and Edghill should face consequences Asked how he intendstoaddressthematteratthe parliamentary level, Mohamed said: “Before we reach the parliamentary level, Edghill must go.Edghillmustresign.Hemustbe heldaccountable.”

Describing the tragedy as the second-deadliesteventinGuyana’s

victims were Guyanese, Campbell saidthemattermustbeaddressedat theleveloftheNationalAssembly, bothintermsofaccountabilityand the path forward to prevent recurrence.

Dr. Campbell pointed to Guyana’s Westminster system of governance,underwhichministers in other democracies typically resign following tragedies of this magnitude to allow for an independent investigation “It cannotbethatwearesodependent onthegreatbishopthatnooneelse candowhathe’sdoingrightnow,” he said, referring to Edghill, a bishopintheAssembliesofGod.

“There should be ministerial responsibility here You take responsibility when a major

history, Mohamed said he believes Edghill should be held criminally responsible. “Edghill should have been in the lockup since this incidenthappened.Heshouldhave been in the lockups first… so Edghill must resign, and we are going to ensure we hold him accountable because he is responsible for what happened here,” he said. Mohamed also questioned whether political interference contributed to operational failures, pointing to reports that instructions on cargo loading often came from senior officials.

MPDr TerrenceCampbell

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament,Dr TerrenceCampbell, said many questions surrounding thetragedyremainunansweredand that “accountability must go from toptobottom.”

Describing it as the biggest disasterinGuyana’shistoryfroma single event, noting that while the Jonestown tragedy claimed hundreds of lives, few of the

haveexpectedadifferentapproach from President Irfaan Ali. “What shouldhavebeendoneaspresident, he should have immediately required the minister, the head of the Maritime Administration Department and the head of the TransportandHarboursDivisionto proceedonleave,tofacilitateafull, independent and impartial investigation. I would have said thattothenation,”shesaid,adding that doing so would have demonstrated a no-nonsense approachtouncoveringthetruth.

MPJanelleSweatnam

WIN MP Janelle Sweatnam said:“Onelifelostisonetoomany Wehaveoveronehundredpersons dead, and we are here to speak for them. This is the highest level of

catastrophe like this takes place under your watch, and we need to move back to those standards.You resign,andyouallowsomeoneelse tocomein,takeoverandmovethe process forward. It cannot be that this country is so dependent on MinisterEdghill.”

MPAmanzaWalton

Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) Leader and Member of Parliament Amanza Walton said she would have tendered her resignation had she been heading the ministry when such a tragedy occurred.

“I would have offered the presidentmyresignation.It’sreally that simple. I think this matter has been handled poorly, from the top down,fromthepresidentondown. Look at when the president spoke: bythetimePresidentAliaddressed the nation, a couple of things had alreadyhappened.JuanEdghillhad already,inamostbellicosemanner, told the nation the vessel was not overloaded,”shesaid.

Walton argued that, given the scaleofthecatastrophe,onewould

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill

General Stephen Thomas, urging President Ali to remove both officials to facilitate an independent and transparent investigation The party also proposed establishing a Commission of Inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act, Chapter 19:03, to conduct a comprehensive investigation into allaspectsofthetragedy AmerindianPeoples Association(APA)

incompetence,andtofixthis,there isonlyoneway:thePPPdictatorial administration must go, and we must first start with the minister responsible for the Ministry of Public Works, Minister Juan Edghill.”

Speaking at a joint opposition press conference, Sweatnam said Edghill must accept responsibility for the portfolio entrusted to him and called for his immediate resignation, along with that of MARAD Director Stephen Thomas. She further demanded a transparent, credible and independent investigation, supported by experienced international maritime experts, examining every aspect of the tragedy, from the vessel’s maintenance history and seaworthiness to emergency preparedness,regulatoryoversight, and the decisions taken before, duringandafterthedisaster AllianceForChange(AFC)

TheAFC,inastatement,called for the immediate removal of Edghill and MARAD Director

The Amerindian Peoples Association said the tragedy exposed poor management and accountabilitywithintheTransport andHarboursDepartment(T&HD) and called for the removal of Edghill,“underwhosepurviewthe TransportandHarbourDepartment falls, and under whose watch this tragedyoccurred.”

“The state has a responsibility to provide safe, reliable and costeffective means of transportation for its citizens. For too long, the safety of those who depend on Guyana’sair,waterwaysandroads has not received the level of attention, urgency and care it deserves,”theAPAsaid.

The Association said Edghill’s account of the manifest discrepancy exposed poor management and accountability in theoperationofvesselsservingthe NorthWest District, asking: “Who oversees the operations of the vesselsthattheydonotdetectwhat appears to be corrupt practices in overloading? Who is responsible for the regular maintenance of the vessels that a seemingly unseaworthy and aged vessel is allowedtoplydangerousroutes

Continued on page 7

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur News

Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Commission of Inquiry - MV Barima

Say Commission of Inquiry (COI) now, and everyone knowstherewillbeone. SayCOIatthistime,andallcitizens knowthatitisrelatedtothedeathoftheMVBarima,many deaths. Guyana will have a COI, no doubt about that. The questioniswhatkindofCOItheywillget. Whenthepastis checked for precedent, it is over: COIs that have been whitewashes,COIsnotworththename,COIsthathavebeen awasteoftime. Anotherfalsedawn,morefakenews.

President Irfaan Ali has promised a COI. A ‘full, thorough,andindependent’investigationintotheMVBarima tragedy Onpaperthatshouldinspiresomeconfidence. Itis the nation’s head-of-state who committed, so that should guaranteewhathecommittedto:aCOIthatissweeping,that is probing, and that is untainted by prejudiced minds and stainedhands. Thisispartoftheproblemthatweatthispaper have. Thepresidenthaspromisedtheworldbefore,onlyto walk back, in some smooth way, and leave the country hanging: unfinished business He did so with the ExxonMobil-Guyanaoilcontractof2016,allcontractstobe reviewed,thendodgedfromdelivering.

Throughsomemysteryovernightdevelopment,eitherhe forgothispromise,ordidnotconsideritimportantanymore. Perhaps, he was set straight on the consequences of his promise, if he were to go through with it. So, PresidentAli reacheddeep,andfoundshelterunderthereligious:sanctity ofcontract. Theimmediatefalloutwasthatthepresidentlost considerablestanding,andhasminimalcredibilitywithmany citizens. Other than his party’s fanatics, and those who are dependent on his charity, the president is seen as a figure of weaknessandslipperiness,onenottobetakenwithtoomuch seriousness. Notevenwhenover100Guyanesearedead,and hetalksaboutafull,thorough,andindependentinvestigation. Unfortunately,hecalledthisuponhimself. Becausehefailed atcourageousleadershipwithmorethantheoilcontract. He hadmadesimilarpromisesonotherareasofgovernance,and foundreasonstodisappoint. Transparencyrankshighamong his non-deliverables, and accountability is treated as a joke. The MV Barima tragedy compels accountability, but not many believe that there will be anything credible. The presidenthasfailedtocometoscratchtoooften.

Forwhenthenationalleadercanhopfromonefoottothe other, and land clumsily, with this country’s greatest wealth concentration,hedidgreatharmtohimself. Citizenslookat himdifferently Theskepticaldismisshimwithoutasecond thought. Thosestillhopinghewilldeliveranunaffiliatedand unshackled COI realize that they are hanging on a string, hoping for the best. Can the president come good on his promise, and break the pattern that he has established? He actually delivers a COI relative to the MV Barima tragedy that actually honors the passing of the victims, that does justice to the family members, and leaves citizens with the comfortthatallisnotlost. Ifthepresidentcanproduce,what wouldsuchaCOIlooklike?

ACOIthatistotallyuntaintedbylocalpoliticswouldbea start. It cannot have members who are beholden to the government,orhavesomeconnectiontoit,howeverdistantor innocent looking National elections provide precedent and standard: even the most well-regarded Guyanese, including the overseas-based, are ruled out. It is why the two top judicialpositionsinGuyanahavebeenheldhostageforyears.

A COI with broad, relevant, and penetrating Terms of Referencewouldbeinspireconfidence. Togettothebottom oftheMVBarimamessmaycallformorethanoneCOI. To givesuchaCOIstanding,itschairpersonhastobesomeone ofthehighestintegrity,withmatchinghistory Suchaperson hastobebalanced,fearless,willingtofollowthetrailofthe MVBarimatragedywhereverittakes,andregardlessofwho andwhathavetobeexposed TheCOIshouldbeopentothe public and livestreamed Its unredacted preliminary report, inclusiveofallfindingsshouldbeinthepublicdomainwithin 90days. Thefinalreportissued30daysafter. Thesearesome of the elements that would give citizens the confidence the bestwaswhattheygot. ACOIintotheMVBarimatragedy thatistheessenceofwhatisindependentandcredible.

‘One Guyana’ put to the test as Parliament yet to meet on MV Barima tragedy

DEAREDITOR,

YoureditorialinKaieteur News of 21 July noted inter alia:

‘This country and its citizensareinurgentneedof afewmiracles. Tovanquish the darkness that hangs over Guyanaanddevastatesit. Itwouldbeanassaultonthe griefofthosewhotrytocope with their loss for the usual big, solemn speeches from those who stand as monuments to the hypocrisies that torment Guyanese, then degrade them. On the other hand, Guyanese have become so accustomed to hypocrisies from the highest levels that they are now numbed beyond feeling. What is one more assault, one more instance of leadership cruelty, when there were so

many before that the senses a r e s t u n n e d ? ’ (https://kaieteurnewsonline com/2026/07/21/tragedycompounded-by-travesty/).

Guyanese can cast their minds back to a different maritimehorror:On27April and 5 May 2018 17 fishermen (16 Guyanese) were murdered at sea by other Guyanese in Suriname’s waters The bodiesof12fishermenwere never recovered; 11 of them wereGuyanese.

The Surinamese people and government understood what it is to do the right things.

On 4 May, ‘persons in Suriname took to the streets tomarchinhonourofallthe fishermen attacked at sea by pirates, and to call on authorities to do more for

fishermen The gathering saw addresses being delivered by religious leadersandmembersofcivil s o c i e t y ’ (https://wwwstabroeknews com/2018/05/05/news/guya na/pirate-attack-survivorrecounts-harrowing-tale/)

Inaddition,theFederationof Surinamese Farmers (FSA) [took] the initiative to organize a collection campaign to support the families and relatives of the missing fishermen (https://wwwstabroeknews com/2018/05/04/news/guya

na/fifth-pirate-attacksurvivor-found-missingfishers-body-identified/)

O n 1 0 M a y t h e

Surinamese Parliament was convened and passed u n a n i m o u s l y a comprehensive motion

calling on their government toinvestigatethemostrecent murders, compensate the victims,and‘engagewiththe Guyanese authorities in order to facilitate administrative processes in Suriname to legalize Guyanese citizens who are currentlyresidingillegallyin Suriname. The government is also urged to bring the safety offshore Suriname to an acceptable level immediately in cooperation with the relevant agencies and to release the necessary funds for this Leader of the coalition in parliament André Misiekaba (NDP) noticed that the recent attacks were not only “barbaric”, but should be qualified as “terrorism”’ (https://demerarawaves.com /2018/05/11/surinameparliament-grills-govt-onpirate-attacks-unanimouslypasses-motion-in-favour-ofguyanese-fishermen/).

One day later a similar Motion, introduced by the Opposition, was also unanimously supported in Guyana’s National Assembly

That was 2018. 8 years following the murder of 17 fishers in Suriname, the horrific tragedy off the mouth of the Pomeroon River has been the occasion for divisive rather than unifying actions A new o r g a n i z a t i o n , t h e Association for Democracy andHumanRights(Guyana) Inc.,announceditsexistence by using the occasion of the deathsofover100Guyanese in the MV Barima to attack theLeaderoftheOpposition (https://guyanachronicle co m/2026/07/20/humanrights-associationcondemns-politicalexploitation-of-mv-barimatragedy/).

Our Parliament is yet to be convened. No days of nationalmourninghavebeen announced.

E d i t o r, n a t i o n s (‘imagined communities’) are brought into being by visionary leaders, taking unifying actions. By that yardstick, our Guyanese nation is yet to be born. The leader promoting ‘One G u y a n a ’ n e e d s t o demonstrate his leadership concretely

Sincerely, JanetteBulkan

M@ilbox

Robert Persaud seeks to reassure us, but about the wrong risk

DEAREDITOR, ForeignSecretaryRobert Persaud’s statement on the United States’ 12.5 percent tariff, quoted in Demerara Waves,answersachargethe Americans did not make.

The action taken by the

United States Trade Representative,Ambassador Jamieson Greer, under section 301 of the US Trade Act is not a finding that Guyanese goods are made with forced labour. It is a finding that Guyana, with fifty-nine other economies, has failed to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods producedwithforcedlabour

The charge concerns our statutebook,notourexports.

Yet Mr Persaud assures us there is no evidence of forcedlabourinGuyana,and our delegation told the US

Trade Representative (USTR) hearings that more

than 2,000 labour

inspections substantiated nothing. Whether offending goods have crossed our borders is beside the point when the complaint is that wehavenolawtostopthem.

Our Permanent Secretary is reportedtohavegonefurther, citingtheMinister’spowerto prohibit importation where forced labour is conclusively determined A discretionary power contingent on conclusive proof is the precise opposite of an enforcedprohibition.Thatis why we sit at 12.5 percent andnot10.

There were two rates. Partnerscommittingtoadopt and enforce a prohibition received 10 percent; those that had not enacted one received 12.5. Ten gave that commitment within their Agreements on Reciprocal Trade; others legislated within weeks of the investigationsopeningon12 March. Mr Persaud tells us weareworkingtofinalisean

agreement on reciprocal trade. The clause that would have secured the lower rate sits inside the very instrument he says we are negotiating.

The question is whether we were told, anytime between March and July If wewerenot,therelationship is not what Mr Persaud makesitouttobe.Andifwe were, then here is just another case of indecision, procrastination or incompetence. Duplication of functions, unfortunately, do not lead to efficiency but toconfusion.

Mr Persaud invokes the strength and maturity of the United States–Guyana relationship. Australia, one ofAmerica’sclosestmilitary allies, pays the same 12.5 percentwedo.Canada,afree trade partner, was this week threatened with 50 percent duties on a range of goods under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a

provision unused for ninetysix years. Yet Canada and Mexico are better placed than we are, because the US President extracted forcedlabour prohibitions from them in the USMCA. They holdaninstrument.Wepose forphotographsattheWhite Houseandonwarshipdecks.

Finally, Mr. Persaud seeks to reassure us, but aboutthewrongrisk.Atariff is a price. The American forced-labour import ban is exclusion: Customs and Border Protection detained Serbian copper and Jordanian apparel in June. It operatesirrespectiveoftariff treatment and reaches gold, timber and fish. Given our minimum wage and our failure to regulate how migrant workers are treated, Mr Persaud’sassurancethat exporters face no new burden may prove the least durable sentence in his statement.

ChristopherRam

Resource curse debate misses key distinction on institutions

DEAREDITOR,

I have been following with great interest the ongoing debate in your newspaper regarding the resource curse and its r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h institutions.Itisanimportant discussion,particularlyfora country like Guyana, where the discovery of vast oil

resources has placed questions of governance, accountability, transparency and economic management at the centre of the debate abouttheresourcecurse.

However, I believe one important distinction has become blurred in this debate The original discussion about institutions inthecontextoftheresource curse was largely about democratic institutions, the need for transparency, accountability, greater access to information and parliamentary oversight. It

was not initially a debate about economic institutions associated with market reforms, deregulation, privatisation or the liberalisationofmarkets.

The example of Chile is instructivepreciselybecause it challenges the argument that democratic institutions are always a prerequisite for economic transformation.

Chile’sso-called“Economic Miracle” began not under a democratic government, but under the authoritarian rule ofGeneralAugustoPinochet following the 1973 military coup.

The period remains deeplycontroversialbecause Pinochet’s regime was responsibleforgravehuman rightsviolations.Thatcannot and should not be ignored.

But from an economic perspective, it is also a historical fact that some of Chile’s most dramatic

economic changes occurred intheabsenceofdemocratic institutions.

The so-called Chicago Boys introduced sweeping marketreformsbeginningin

discipline, privatisation, deregulation and a move

economic management.

were implemented under a dictatorship where political opposition was suppressed a n

c accountabilitywasabsent.

Ye

remarkablegrowth.Afterthe initial economic shock, Chile grew rapidly between 1977 and 1981, with annual GDP growth rates of approximately10percent,8 percent,8percentand7per cent respectively Following theseveredebtcrisisof1982

— when GDPcontracted by roughly 14 per cent — the economy rebounded strongly, recording growth rates of about 6 per cent in 1984, 5.7 per cent in 1986, 5.9 per cent in 1987, 7.3 per centin1988andover10per centin1989.

The point is not to celebrateauthoritarianism.It is to highlight an economic reality: the absence of democratic institutions did n o t p r e v e n t t h e implementation of marketoriented reforms or the generation of economic growth. In other words, one cannot simply argue that strong democratic institutions are always the necessary precondition for economictransformation.

However, there is anotherfactorintheChilean story that deserves far greaterattention,resource

Continued on page 6

‘Fire Edghill!’ – letter writer blames Minister for MV Barima disaster

DEAREDITOR,

“Rivah nah get front door; rivah nah get backdoor.” The wordsofmylatematernalgrandfather[Cap’nMackenzie]is an appropriate reminder of the dangers of travel on the high seas. He stressed caution and prudence. The MV Barima tragedyisemblematicofGuyanatoday

The boat had a captain and chief engineer; just like our country-wehaveadefactopresidentandanominalpresident. ThetragedydidnotsparethesupportersofthePPPregimenor did it disproportionally affect APNU or WIN supporters. A failed government impoverishes the citizenry regardless of partyaffiliation.

Under President Ali’s government, Guyana has experienced2majorcatastrophes:theMadhiadormfireand thesinkingoftheMVBarima.Bothinvolvedsignificantloss oflives.Buttheyaredistinguishable:IntheMadhiatragedy,it wastotallyunforeseeablethatachildwouldsetadormablaze. Inthecurrentcrisis:theboatcaptainandchiefengineerwere adults. They owed the passengers a duty of care; they are culpablefortheirderelictionofduty!!!

Furthermore, the proximate cause of this situation is MinisterEdghill’smismanagementofpublictransportsector. HisministrypurchasedtheMVMaLishaforUS$12.7toply the Georgetown to North West District corridor. In the 22 April 2023, the Guyana Chronicle reported that Minister Edghillproclaimedthepurchaseas“agamechangerinwater transportation.”Thevesselisyettomakeamaidenvoyageon the proposed route. His explanation as reported in Kaieteur News[22July2026]:thevesselisnotinoperationbecausethe wharfmustberebuilt.BishopEdghillistheexpertinputting the cart before the horse. President Ali is responsible for placingthissquarepegintoaroundhole.

Accountability behooves President Ali fires Minister Edghill!! Guyana is watching; the PPP will be held accountableinthenextelection.

Sincerely,

RogerAlly

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox

DEAREDITOR,

Asapubliccommunicationsanalyst,Iam increasingly confronted with conversations about the lack of safety regulations, enforcement, and modern standards across varioussectorsofGuyana

From fires claiming the lives of children to passengers losing their lives through drowning,toomanytragediesraisequestions about whether adequate safety systems and standardsaretrulyinplaceandwhetherthose systems are being properly maintained and regularlyupgraded.

Too many people have become accustomed to lacklustre standards and reactive responses. Yet, many of these situations can be addressed with greater urgency,seriousness,andaccountability

I am not seeking to blame any particular individual or institution. However, as a people, we must understand that safety

Lack of safety standards enforcement Don’t cry for me Guyana MYO extends condolences and support following the sinking of the MV Barima

systems cannot remain unchanged for decades They require constant review, maintenance,upgrading,andenforcementas societyevolvesandnewrisksemerge.

Flood drainage, fire prevention, road safety enforcement, building and c

y management, public transportation, and many other areas require strong regulations andconsistentenforcementtoprotectlives.

Citizens are gradually losing trust and confidence in systems that have remained in place for decades without sufficient change or improvement. Safety cannot be treated as an afterthought. It must be a continuous nationalpriority

The loss of life is often irreversible. Therefore,wemustaskourselveswhetherwe are doing enough to prevent avoidable tragedies before they occur, rather than waitinguntillivesarelosttodemandanswers

Sincerely,

BlaneRBunbury

DEAREDITOR,

Wehaveasanationmanylessonstolearn from the MV Barima tragedy Instead of breathingfireandcallingforreprisalsforthe mainactorsintheplot,weneedtostepaside awhile and consider just what we need to do toinitiatemitigation.

The problem was long in making. Great disregardforthedemographicsthatusedthe facility has been to my mind a great contributingfactor

Why would a boat that took one and one half years in constructionthen three and one half years after delivery not have been put into service.Why would this same vessel be used for entertainment purposes for the rich andpowerful?

Editor, we need answers followed by condignaction.

There appears to be a distinct change in thecultureofoursociety Thehustlerandget rich quick attitude seems to have taken hold of most of us. There would appear to be parallel entities within our ministries and departments. Why would many persons not

appear on the official manifest of such an importantmeansoftransportation.

We need to refloat the vessel, bring in renown naval architects and experts for the examinations The vessel can be accommodatedattheGNICdockyard.

The mandatory commission of inquiry thatfollowswouldexamineallcircumstances surroundingtheevent.Culpabilitycouldthen bedetermined.

Coming out of the above we need to empower the Civil Defence Commission as thegotoagencyforhandlingsuchmishaps.It must have the ability to field appropriate resources and personnel and be able to mitigatesituations.

Manypersonsandagencieshavemessed up in the extant case. However, we need to garner the goodwill to now move forward positively

Finally, I tender sincerest condolences to allthosewholostfamilymembers.MayGod grantyouHispeaceandcomfort

Regards,

CyrilWalker

DEAREDITOR,

The Muslim Youth Organisation of Guyana (MYO) extends its deepest condolences to the families andlovedonesofthosewho tragically lost their lives following the sinking of the MV Barima last Saturday night.

We are deeply saddened by this heartbreaking incident and share in the profoundgriefoftheaffected families and communities during this extremely difficultperiod.

As Muslims, we are reminded of the importance ofcompassion,patience,and supporting one another duringtimesofhardship.We pray that Almighty Allah (SWT) grants His mercy uponthosewhohavepassed away,givecomfort,strength andpatiencetothebereaved

families and healing to the survivors.

Duringthisdifficulttime, ourthoughtsandprayersare with the families of those who are still awaiting news of missing relatives. Our thoughtsandprayersarealso with the survivors, and we pray for their physical and emotional recovery as they cope with the trauma of this tragedy

TheMYOalsoexpresses itssincereappreciationtothe members of the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Coast Guard, the Maritime Administration Department, the Civil Defence Commission, the Guyana Police Force, private organizations, fishermen, volunteers, healthcare workers, countries that are providing assistance and all those who have dedicated

their time and resources to the rescue and recovery efforts Their courage, commitment, and selfless s e r v i c e a r e t r u l y commendable.

We encourage all Guyanese to stand together in solidarity, offering comfort, assistance, and prayerstothoseinneed.May this tragedy strengthen our resolve to care for one another and to continue working towards improving safety for everyone who travelsonourwaterways.

TheMYOremainsready to provide assistance and support wherever necessary andpossible.

“Indeed, with hardship comes ease ” (Qur’an 94:5–6)

Regards, M u s l i m Y o u t h OrganisationofGuyana

Resource curse debate misses key distinction on...

Frompage5

dominance Chile’s economic success cannot be explainedsolelybywhatwas called “shock capitalism.” It was also built upon the enormous importance of copper, a resource that has long been the backbone of the Chilean economy The country’s ability to generate export earnings, attract investment and accumulate wealth was significantly influenced by its position as the world’s largest copper

producer

This raises an important question for Guyana. When discussing the resource curse, we should not focus only on whether countries possess strong democratic institutions.

We must also examine the nature of the resource itself, the global demand for that resource, how revenues aremanagedandwhetherthe economy can diversify beyond dependence on a singlecommodity

Chile’s experience suggests that neither institutions nor markets alone provide a complete explanation.

A country can grow without robust democratic institutions, but resource advantages matter enormously Likewise, strong institutions are valuable, but they do not automatically create prosperity

Yoursfaithfully, RoopnauthHardyal

Othernations’ministerssteppeddownfollowingdeadly...

Frompage3 without care for the souls on board?” It added thattheacceptanceandnormalisationofcorrupt practices, which Edghill described as “mischief,” has consistently contributed to the systemicfailuresbehindthetragedy

HowOtherCountriesResponded Calls for ministerial accountability following maritime disasters are not unique to Guyana In several countries, senior officials have resigned after deadly ferry disasters, accepting political responsibility while investigationswerestillunderway

Gabon

In March 2023, Gabon’s Transport Minister Brice Paillat resigned a week after more than 20 people were killed when the Esther Miracle ferry sank near the coastal

village of Nyonie. According to Reuters, Paillat’s resignation notice did not state a reason,butitfollowedwidespreadpubliccalls for him to step down The ferry was carrying 161passengersfromLibrevilletoPort-Gentil, thoughunconfirmedreportssuggesteditmay have carried more people and been overloaded with merchandise. At least 21 peoplewerekilledand31reportedmissing.

SouthKorea

FollowingthesinkingoftheSewolferryon April16,2014,SouthKoreanPrimeMinister Chung Hong-won resigned amid heavy criticism of the government’s handling of the disaster,theBBCreported Theferry,carrying 476 people, most of them students and teachers, sank off the South Korean coast, leavingatleast187confirmeddeadandscores

missingandpresumeddrowned.Thedayafter the disaster, Chung was booed and had a water bottle thrown at him while visiting grievingparents;hisresignationcameamida criminal negligence investigation into 15 crewmembers.“Therightthingformetodois to take responsibility and resign as a person who is in charge of the cabinet,” he said in a televised statement, apologising on behalf of the government for failures ranging from accident prevention to the initial disaster response,andcallingforthecountry’s“deeprootedevils”tobecorrected

Senegal

In September 2002, Senegal’s Transport MinisterYoussoufSakhoresignedshortlyafter then-President Abdoulaye Wade pledged a criminalinvestigationintothesinkingoftheMS

Joola ferry, one of the worst civilian maritime disastersonrecord,PBSNewsreported.

The ferry capsized in heavy winds off the coast ofThe Gambia, with roughly 970 of the estimated 1,034 people on board confirmed deadormissingandpresumeddead Sakhotold private radio station Sud FM that he resigned “withthesoleaimofgivingthepresidentafree handindealingwiththismatter”

According to Reuters, Armed Forces Minister Youba Sambou, whose division ran the ferry service, also resigned Wade told CNN that “many, many mistakes” led to the sinking and vowed prosecutions: “Under our law, if a person by negligence provokes an accidentorthedeathofaperson,hehastobe tried And the people that will have any responsibilitywillbebeforethecourts”

These are some of the passengers who remain unaccounted for and those confirmed dead following the MV Barima tragedy on Saturday night.

BLUNTNESSONINDECENCIES!

MONDAY–JULY20,2026

Doggedbyallegations ofcorruption

Another week, another senior government official

facing allegations of corruption Whether it is land, contracts, mining blocks or procurement, accusations have become a

recurring feature of Guyana’s political landscape.

That alone should trouble every citizen

Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has firmly denied Azruddin Mohamed’sclaims,insisting hisfamily’smininginterests werelawfullyacquired.

Mohamed, meanwhile,

has levelled serious accusations of political favouritism, kickbacks and moneylaundering.Theseare not matters for Facebook

exchanges or press statements They demand independentinvestigation.If

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our Publisher, Mr Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about ongoing indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

the allegations are false, those accused deserve vindication. If they are true, those responsible must face the full force of the law Government cannot dismiss every accusation as politics, nor can the Opposition rely solely on allegations The growing frequency of these claims is steadily eroding public confidence in the integrityofstateinstitutions.

TUESDAY–JULY21,2026

MVBarimatragedy demandsresignations Guyana has witnessed a disgracethatshouldneverbe normalised. The sinking of theMVBarima,themissing passengers, the false manifest, and the reported

drug-positivecrewpointtoa collapse of oversight and accountability

Ourthoughtsandprayers are with the families of the victimsofthisdisaster Inany serious nation, such a catastrophe would trigger immediate resignations Here, Minister Juan Edghill and the head of the maritime administration must accept responsibility and step aside withoutdelay

No one can credibly defendasystemthatallowed this disaster to unfold under its watch. Families deserve truth, not excuses; the public deserves leadership, not evasions.Edghillmustdothe honourablethingandresign.

The maritime chief must follow Anything less tells everyGuyanesethatlivescan be lost, rules ignored, and still,nooneatthetoppaysthe price That is unacceptable, anditmustend

WEDNESDAY–

JULY22,2026

Failureofoversight

TheMVBarimadisaster has exposed a catastrophic failureofoversight.Twentynine people are dead, 69 rescued,yettheGovernment

still cannot say with certaintyhowmanywereon boardbecausethepassenger manifest was wrong. Even after Public Works Minister Juan Edghill declared the vessel was not overloaded, he was forced to admit that 32 rescued passengers were notevenlisted.

T h e v e s s e l ’ s management has been sent h o m e p e n d i n g a n investigation That is not enough Accountability cannotendwiththecrewand operators. The Ministry of Public Works and the Maritime Administration failedintheirdutytoensure proper regulation and enforcement.Inanycountry

w h e r e m i n i s t e r i a l responsibility carries meaning, those at the top wouldalsoanswerforsucha monumentalbreakdown.

The victims deserved better Guyana deserves a governmentthatinvestigates first,speakslaterandaccepts responsibility when its own systemsfail.

THURSDAY–JULY23,2026

Justiceandaccountability

TheMVBarimadisaster

hasleftanationinmourning, but grief alone cannot substituteforaccountability

Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram’s open letter to the President asks

t h e q u e s t i o n s t h e government itself should haveansweredfromthevery beginning.

Wa s t h e v e s s e l

seaworthy? Did the Maritime Administration discharge its legal duty? Were inspections current? How could the operator and regulatorfallunderthesame m i n i s t e r w i t h o u t compromising oversight? These are not political questions; they go to the heartofpublicsafetyandthe ruleoflaw

Guyanese have seen too many national tragedies

followed by official assurances but too few satisfying answers The Barima sinking cannot be added to that shameful list.

A n i n d e p e n d e n t Commission of Inquiry, established under the ShippingAct,isnotafavour to the bereaved but a legal andmoralobligation.Justice d e m a n d s f a c t s , accountability and

reforms not another whitewash.

FRIDAY–JULY24,2026

SotoomustEdghill

The Government’s argument that Public Works MinisterJuanEdghillcannot resign because he is needed to oversee the MV Barima recovery simply does not stand up to scrutiny No ministerisindispensable. Iftheentiremanagement team responsible for the ferry’s operation could be sent home pending investigations, why should the minister with political responsibility for the sector remainuntouchable?

Accountability cannot stop at junior officials while thoseatthetopareshielded. Edghill’s stewardship of the Public Works and transport sector has been far from exemplary, with recurring concernsoverinfrastructure, safetyandoversight.

The Barima tragedy demands more than expressionsofsympathyand promisesofinvestigations.It requires visible political accountability

Sending the minister home pending the outcome of an independent probe would not prejudice the investigation; it would strengthenpublicconfidence thatnooneisabovescrutiny orresponsibility

The respectable myths of an age are usually written by those who profit from them

For years we have been told that institutions are the engines of prosperity Build stronger courts, establish m o r e t r a n s p a r e n t procurement systems, strengthen regulatory agencies, improve parliamentaryoversight,and prosperity will follow as surely as dawn follows darkness. It is an attractive doctrine because it relieves us of the burden of asking a more uncomfortable question: who builds institutions, and in whose interestaretheybuilt?

One need not be a Marxist to appreciate that institutions do not descend from the heavens carrying tablets of administrative virtue. They emerge from societies already shaped by economic power The architectureofpoliticsisfirst sketched by the geometry of wealth.

Therespectablemythsof anageareusuallywrittenby those who profit from them. Every ruling class seeks to convert its interests into universal truths. Medieval aristocrats spoke of divine right.Victorianindustrialists preached the sanctity of laissez-faire Today’s managerial elite extols the gospel of institutional reform, as though institutions possess mystical powers capable of suspending the laws of politicaleconomy

Thehistoryofcapitalism

Economic transformations have repeatedly rearranged the furniture of politics long before constitutions caught up The Industrial Revolution did not wait for perfect institutions before overturning Europe. It was the explosive growth of factories,trade,bankingand urban wealth that forced governments to expand representation, regulate labour, establish public education and eventually createwelfarestates.Politics followed commerce Law followedcapital.Institutions became the formal record of c h a n g

economicsphere.

Karl Marx wrote about the class struggle. In so doing he identified an enduringtruth:theeconomic base exerts a commanding influence over the political and legal superstructure

One need not accept every page of Marx to recognise that property relations, production, and the distribution of wealth profoundly shape the institutions that societies construct.

This observation matters enormously for countries b l e s s e d o r burdened with natural resources. The fashionable prescription insists that the Resource Curse can be avoided only through stronger institutions. Such

Dem Boys Seh...

adviceappearssensibleuntil one notices that it quietly assumes institutions exist i

y regulate They do not Institutions are themselves products of economic arrangements, social coalitions and balances of power

Oil does not merely test institutions; it transforms them because it transforms the underlying economy

Vast resource revenues alter incentives, redistribute wealth, create new elites, reshape labour markets and redefine relationships between state and citizen. The political consequences arisenotbecauseinstitutions suddenly forget their duties but because the economic landscape beneath them has shifted.

Toinsistthatinstitutional reform is the antidote to the Resource Curse is therefore to begin the analysis in the middle rather than at the beginning Institutions respond to economic forces far more often than they commandthem.

There is also an ideologicaldimensiontothis argument that deserves greaterscrutiny Institutional fundamentalism reflects a distinctly bourgeois understanding of society It assumes existing market relations are fundamentally sound and that the principal challenge lies in improving

Some people just unreliable

Dem boys seh some people résumé got more decorations than a Christmas tree. If credentials was medals, dem would need a wheelbarrow to carry them around Everybody know them. “Call he nah! He is the best plumber, electrician, mechanic, carpenter, computer man, air-condition technicianandpart-timemiracleworker.” Soyuhcall.

The man answer “Boss, no problem.Ah coming10o’clocksharp.”

Dem boys seh the only thing sharp was thedisappointment.

Teno’clockpass.Eleveno’clockstretch itneck.Middayarrivesweating.Oneo’clock comelookingforlunch.Byevening,onlythe mosquitoeskeeptheappointment.

No phone call. No message. No carrier pigeon.Notevenasmokesignal.

Demboyssehifexcuseswaselectricity, the whole country would never suffer anotherblackout.

Then, two days later, the fellow call as though nothing happen. “Boss, yuh still deh?”

Still deh? Of course! Waiting done becomeanationalpastime.

Dem boys seh some of these experts operating on what scientists now calling “phantom time.” They promise to arrive

governance around them. In doingso,itleavesuntouched the distribution of economic poweritself.

To focus exclusively on transparency, accountability and regulatory efficiency while ignoring ownership, production and class relations is to defend, whetherintentionallyornot, the prevailing economic order The conversation becomes one about managing capitalism rather than questioning how capitalism itself shapes politicaloutcomes.

One notices, too, the selective enthusiasm with whichinstitutionalreformis prescribed Nations are advised to establish independent commissions, sovereign wealth funds and f i s c a l r u l e s , y e t comparativelylittleattention isdevotedtothestructureof domestic enterprise, the diversification of production, technological upgrading or the emergence of productive national

capital. The emphasis falls upon supervising wealth rather than creating new sourcesofit.

None of this is to argue that institutions are irrelevant. Honest courts are preferable to corrupt ones.

Inde

outperform

edient accountants Transparent procurement is superior to secret contracts But to elevate institutions into the prime movers of history is a misguidednotion.

If the objective is to escape the Resource Curse, the first question should not simply be whether institutions are sufficiently robust.

Itshouldbewhatkindof economy is emerging, who controls productive assets, how wealth is distributed, what incentives govern investment,andwhichsocial classesstandtogainfromthe evolving structure of production. Those questions precede institutional design because they ultimately

determine it Yet the proponents of institutional fundamentalism often shy awayfromtheseissues.

The Resource Curse is less a failure of institutions than a consequence of economic transformation

Institutions remain important,buttheyaremore accurately understood as mirrors reflecting the prevailing balance of economicpower

A society cannot legislate itself out of contradictions embedded within its own political economy. It must first confront the economic realities that give its institutions both their form andtheirlimits.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper)

tomorrow, but nobody ever discover which tomorrowtheytalkingabout.

The funniest part is that people does defendthem.“Buthedoesdogoodwork.”

Dem boys seh a doctor can’t tell yuh, “I performexcellentsurgery,”ifthepatientdie waiting in the reception area. Skill without reliabilityislikebuyingaluxurycarwithno engine.Itlookimpressiveuntilyuhactually needittomove.

Over the years dem boys develop one simplepolicy Missoneappointmentwithout a proper explanation and yuh strike out. No second invitation. No third chance. No pleading.

EvenifyuhisthelastmanonEarthwho couldfixtheproblem,demboysratherlearn the trade themselves than spend another afternoon watching the gate every time a vehiclepass.

Life too short to spend it waiting on peoplewhobelieveeverybodyelse’stimeis free.

Demboyssehpunctualityisnotatalent. Itisrespect.Andwhensomebodyrepeatedly fail to respect yuh time, is time to dump them. Dem ain’t professionals. They just expertsatmakingappointments andfailing tokeepthem. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Barima, Barima, Barima – What to say this Sunday

Barima! Barima! Barima! Forthosewhohear that word repeated, there should be recognition of echoes of Pearl Harbor A time and tragedy now enshrined in history From Hawaii, America to Kumaka, Guyana. Another tranquil Sunday morning shattered.

The time difference between occurrence and others catching on was an agony in itself. But like Tora, Tora, Tora around OahuandAmericans,sonow the MV Barima of Port Kaituma-MorawhannaKumaka history forms part of Guyanese horrors Families wrenched by engulfing grief. Anation in mourning -the honest, humanpart. Yardsofmediacolumns. Barrels of ink. Computer toners by the cartload Editorials Letters

Columns. Calls for the president of Guyana to roll onhome. Hedid. Callsfor heads to roll. They are square. Resistant to all but the fiercest nudges, sharpest kicks. But already digging intostaythecourse. After all the expressions of interest, of anger, of disgustand,mostofall,pain, Iamthinkingwhereelseand what more…. How many moretragedieswaiting? The count of miscarriages in governanceandtravestiesof leadershippresentlyhidden.

Leadership abortions have brought to this grim state. Thosegobythemore official and serious label of ‘abdication of duty.’ I am more comfortable with abandonment of post Retreat from responsibility Shrinkingfromhonesty,and whatthatdemands.

When a ruling party is c o m p r i s e d a l m o s t

exclusivelyofpeopleoflow or no moral character, then thedirgesshouldn’tbeabout the one MV Barima that splashed across Guyana’s face the wrong way on Sunday

Theymustbeaboutwhy the shock, since it took so long. Since there are likely so many more of these manmade disasters lying below the surface, biding their time. Before they explode into the nation’s consciousness. What else could have been expected, howeverfarfetched?

W h e n a s i t t i n g government is founded and surrounded with numerous men and women, who have neither time nor interest nor patience with principles Nor a duty of care for the people Then the MV Barima was simply a matter oftime. Hindsightisperfect vision. But one needs no

eyesight at all to detect the waiting horrors of the MV Barima that were no mysteries whatsoever The tender board rehabilitation submissions and numbers reveal all. The weaknesses of the MV Barima. The embedded dangers in that passenger boat that doubled asabigcargoboat.

Someone in the PPP Govt had to stand and say: not I near this boat. Not for oceanicvoyages. Maybenot evencoastaltrips. Itwasnot acandidateforthedockyard. It was a corpse, a floating dead, that belonged in the graveyard. Letitbegone. It ishowbold,unflinchingmen prove themselves. People before party Peons before eventhepresident.

Of course, it takes men with character and the courage of their convictions tostandforthose. Plus,their carefortheirfellowcitizens.

In a country where cashisking,thatwill always be a loser’s game. Who wants to part company with cash, and for those puny considerations: character, courage, convictions (and citizens)?

Now, the program is about remediation Remediation or swiftly restoring some gloss to the PPPGovtanditsleadership? When political perversions and propaganda take precedence over the welfare of the people, then there is the tragedy of the MV Barima.

By all means, it was avoidable. Damnit!87years andthatjunk,thatdeathtrap, still commissioned to action? And managed to stay afloat. Thus, calls rage for some to stepdown

Better to call for those who puttheminthosepositionsto kneel down, then fall facedown, before the Guyanese people and admit their failures. No spinning. Nodiminishing. But with mea culpas Manyhavebeenthecallsfor prayers. Thiscountryneeds more than prayers and hymns Guyana needs endless exorcisms. Begin withthePPPGovt,adevilish entity,ifevertherewasone.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper

APNUquestionssafety ofsunkenMVBarima amidsttenderdocumentsfor sweepingrehabilitation

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has raised serious questions concerning the safety of the sunkenMVBarimavesselin light of tender documents dated March 2026 pointing to need for sweeping rehabilitationworks

During its weekly press briefing on Friday, APNU MemberofParliament(MP) and shadow Minister of Public Works, Saiku Andrews said government’s own tender for the docking andrehabilitationoftheMV Barima, published four months before the tragedy d e s e r v e s c a r e f u l examination

Andrews explained that, “The Bills of Quantities required the examination of approximately 10,000 squaremetresofhullplating andframes,withdeteriorated sectionstoberenewedwhere necessary It also called for the replacement of 3,000 kilograms of deteriorated longitudinal and transverse steelwallsandframes,2,000 kilograms of wasted hatch beams over the cargo hold, 30 zinc anodes, 150 metres of fire lines, 20 air vents, 180squaremetresofhatchcover tarpaulin, and ultrasonic gauging of the hull with a detailed thicknesstestreport.”

Of equal importance, item 16 identifies approximately 10,000 squaremetresofhullplating

and frames for examination

TheParliamentarianpointed out that this appears unusually large for a vessel of that size To this end, Andrews noted that if that quantity is correct, the government should explain whatitrepresentsandifitis not, the government should explain how it came to appear in a safety-critical procurementdocument.

More importantly, the M P a r g u e d t h a t government’sownengineers identified the need to examine the hull, replace deteriorated steel, replace wastedhatchbeams,replace zinc anodes, service critical components and carry out ultrasonic thickness testing only months before the tragedy

As such, he questioned, “WhoconcludedthattheMV Barima was fit to continue carryingpassengersona24hourAtlanticvoyage?Was Continuedonpage39

Grieving mother calls on Govt. to subsidise airfares after ferry tragedy claims son

ByKhadidjaBa

Sitting opposite her home’smirror,whereher16year-old son, Andriel Bautista,usedtostandfixing his curly hair before and afterschool,AnndyarDeally is turning her unbearable griefintoadirectpleatothe nation’shighestoffice.

Following a gutwrenching maritimetragedy intheopenAtlanticthattook her son’s life, the 53-yearold mother is appealing directly to President Irfaan

Ali to establish an affordable, state-subsidised air service for the people of Region One, so that no parent is ever forced onto a dangerous sea vessel again.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported on January 14, 2026, that “For years, the residents of the hinterland have pleaded formoreaffordableairtravel toandfromGeorgetown…”

Deally, her eight-yearold daughter Josmary, her late son, a 13-year-old girl, her nephew and his girlfriend were returning home to Port Kaituma after traveling to Georgetown to process official paperwork and buy school supplies

With airfare priced at an impossible G$30,000 per seat, the family had no choice but to rely on the government ferry. Now, sufferingthroughtraumaand mourning her “lovely, kind”

boy, Deally says the government must provide safe,accessibleairtravelfor low-income families, or separate passenger boats fromheavycargo.

“Iamgivingasuggestion that the President could at

“It was too much people,” she recalled. “Packing, packing, much fixingup.”

Anightofterror onthewaves

Shortly after 10:00 PM, while the crowded ferry navigatedtheroughAtlantic waters, Deally heard a terrifying sound Within seconds, the entire vessel listedviolentlytooneside.

“Theboatjustleanatthe side and everybody start screaming,” Deally said

“People just slide down too, out of the boat I went. The only thing I hear is ‘Mommy!’ my little daughter. When I reach into the water, water start splashinginmyface.Idrink upwatertwotimes.”

Recognisingthattheboat wassinking,Deallydrewon her ability to swim, prayed desperately for forgiveness from the Lord, and fought her way through the darkness as passengers panicked around her She

managed to reach a drifting mattressalongsidetwoother men, including a crew member, and urged them to stay calm so the mattress wouldn’t capsize. They eventuallygrabbedholdofa floating ice chest to stay abovethecrashingwaves.

Inthepitch-blacksea,as thrashingwavesbeatagainst themforhours,Deallybegan shoutingintothevoidforher son, her nephew, and his girlfriend.

Then, across the dark

water, she heard a small, familiarvoice.

It was eight-year-old Josmary: “Mommy! I’m right there, Mommy! I’m good. Nothing happened to me,Mommy!”

“Mommy,letmepray”: Aneight-year-old’s bravery Josmary had not only survived the initial plunge into the ocean, but she had also fought to save another life.Travelingwiththe

Continuedonpage37

least put an air service in Kaitumaforthepoorpeople, where whoever wants to go down to town can pay somethingcheaperandreach safe and secure,” Deally said, her voice heavy with emotion. “For me, I am not going back on any governmentboateveragain. I will not take that chance again. The sea is not easy… Theexperiencewashorrible, horrible.”

ForcedtotheAtlantic: ThePriceofAccessing Georgetown

For residents of Port Kaituma,dailylifeisdefined by severe local scarcity and inflated costs Essential goods, business stock, and administrative offices are often unavailable in Region One, forcing residents to make the long journey to Georgetown.

“The only way to come outandgoinPortKaitumais by air or by boat,” Deally

explained With three passages to pay for, airfare wascompletelyoutofreach. Deallytooktheferrytobring back supplies for another daughter who is due to give birth in two months, documents for her children, whoareVenezuelanbybirth, and school items for young Josmary

When they boarded the vessel in Georgetown, Deally immediately noticed howpackeditwas,crowded with families from Port Kaituma, Morawhanna, and Whitewater Passengers were crammed onto the second floor, hanging their belongings and squeezing into whatever space remained.

Blackman-Waddell Summer Math Institute will offer gifted Guyanese students free access to world-class mathematics training

After a decade of challenging

s o m e o f Guyana’s brightest young mathematical minds, the former Queen’s College

A l u m n i S u m m e r Mathematics Institute has been re-established as an i n d e p e n d e n t e l i t e programme following its rejection by the Queen’s CollegeBoardofGovernors.

Within weeks of that decision, the organisers created the BlackmanWaddell Summer Math Institute for Gifted Math Scholars, ensuring that an

important national programme would continue at a time when Guyana desperately needs worldclass talent in mathematics, technology, data science, engineering and related fields.

The Institute, being deliveredinpartnershipwith STEMGuyana, will bring together exceptional rising Third and Fourth Form students for an intensive week of university-style mathematics from 27th July to1stAugust.

Allselectedstudentswill receive full scholarships, making participation free. Nearly 40 students have applied for the limited 24 spacesavailable.

Ironically, the majority of applicants attend Queens College.

Asked for comment, STEMGuyana Director and co-sponsor of this year’s Math Camp, Dr Karen Abrams stated, “There is no comparable mathematics programme in Guyana. The

Institute is designed specifically for gifted and highly motivated students who are ready to move beyond routine classroom exercises and engage with deeper mathematical ideas. Thisisaresourceouryoung scholars desperately need at thistime”

Participants will explore advanced problem-solving,

mathematical proof,

geometry, statistics, computational thinking, coding, number theory, c r y p t o g r a p h y a n d mathematical modelling

They will be expected to question assumptions, explain their reasoning, work collaboratively and

persist through unfamiliar problems.

According to the statementreleased,thisisnot a remedial programme

Admission is competitive and intended for students w h o d e m o n s t r a t e exceptional mathematical ability, intellectual curiosity andawillingnesstoembrace difficultwork.

Globalexpertise broughthome

The Institute is led by two distinguished Guyanese mathematicians, Dr Terrence Richard

Blackman and Dr ClevelandWaddell

Dr Blackman is Professor and Chair of Mathematics at Medgar Evers College of the City University of NewYork. He is also scheduled to assume the role of Interim Dean of the institution’s School of ScienceandAlliedHealthin August2026.

A researcher, educator and mentor, he has spent

y e a r s a d v a n c i n g mathematics education and expanding access to excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dr Waddell is an appliedmathematician,data scientist and educator who serves as a Senior Member of the Technical Staff at S a n d i a N a t i o n a l Laboratories

He holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from North Carolina State University and brings extensive experience in

advanced mathematics, data scienceandresearch.

The programme’s organisersbelieveGuyanese students should have access to the same standard of intellectual challenge

expected at leading universities and research institutions around the world.

STEMGuyana Director

Dr Karen Abrams is supporting the independent Institute as part of the organisation’swidermission to identify, prepare and create opportunities for exceptional Guyanese students.

AprogrammeGuyana cannotaffordtolose

For ten years, the summer mathematics programme operated under the Queen’s College alumni banner, exposing young Guyanese scholars to advanced mathematics and internationally respected instructors.

The decision by the Queen’s College Board of Governors to reject the programme raised serious questions about whether Guyana’s education institutions fully understand the urgency of cultivating advanced mathematical talent.

Guyana is attempting to build a modern economy driven by oil and gas, technology, engineering, finance, research and innovation.

Each of these sectors depends on strong mathematical capacity The

country cannot speak s e r i o u s l y a b o u t transformationwhileturning away programmes that have already demonstrated the ability to identify and developgiftedstudents.

Rather than allow the programme to disappear, its organisers responded by building a new institution around its original mission.

The rapid establishment of the Blackman-Waddell Summer Math Institute demonstrates what can be accomplished when experienced professionals place students and national development ahead of bureaucracy

Studentsselectedforthis year’s Institute are drawn

fromschoolsacrossGuyana. They will arrive with different levels of exposure tomathematics,buttheywill be united by their curiosity andreadinesstolearn.

The organisers have made clear that students are not expected to know everything before entering theprogramme.

What matters is their willingness to think deeply, ask questions, test ideas, learn from mistakes and attempt problems that may not have an immediately obvioussolution.

The Institute will also give gifted students the opportunity to meet intellectual peers from other schools.

Formanytalentedyoung people,especiallythosewho may feel insufficiently challenged in their regular classrooms, that sense of community can be transformative.

The Blackman-Waddell Summer Math Institute represents ten years of excellence, resilience and beliefinGuyaneseyouth.Its message is simple: gifted children must be identified, supported and challenged. Their potential should never be limited by institutional resistance.

G u y a n a n

m a t h e m a t

i a n s , researchers, engineers, data scientists, innovators and p r o b l e m - s o l v e r s Programmes capable of developingthattalentshould be protected, expanded and supported.

The Blackman-Waddell Summer Math Institute is determined to bring global mathematical excellence to Guyanese scholars and preparethemtothinkdeeper, solve bigger problems and helpchangetheworld.

If you are interested in sponsoring the programme for lunch, professional visit, career presentation or financial support, please make contact with Dr Terrence Blackman at terrenceblackman@gmailc om. Theprogrammebegins on Monday July 27th from 9am at the St Roses High Schoolcomputerlab.

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

SUNDAY

Mustapha’sfamily sittingon7,614acresof primemininglands ...Mohamed sounds alarm on alleged kickbacks and money laundering scheme ...minister dismisses allegations as “false and malicious”, says family’s mining interests were lawfully acquired

Leader of the Opposition AzruddinMohamedhaslauncheda fresh corruption offensive against Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, alleging that thousands ofacresofprimegold-mininglands werepreferentiallyallocatedtothe minister’s immediate family throughpoliticalinfluence.

In a video published on his Team Mohamed’s Facebook page, Mohamed alleged that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has bypassed longstandinglocalapplicantstogranta total of 7,614 acres of lucrative mining land to the minister’s two sons and his daughter-in-law since 2023.

According to specific figures presented by Mohamed, the land allocations include 2,867 acres acrossthreeblockstotheminister’s daughter-in-law

Further, 2,349 acresacross two blocks have been allocated to one son and another2,398 acres across twoblockstotheotherson.

Mohamed contended that the family possesses no traditional background in the mining sector andsecuredthesevastacreagesvia the GGMC Area Committee through political influence rather than standard regulatory procedures. Furthermore, he allegedthattheMustaphafamilyis leasing these properties to foreign mining tycoons to collect substantial rental fees and kickbacks, while simultaneously using an Essequibo-based gold dealer to execute a money laundering scheme through fraudulentequipmentreceipts.

According to Mohamed, these allocationsoccuratatimewhenthe price of gold is hovering near record highs of nearly 4,000 to 5,000 US dollars per ounce, creating an environment where small-scale Guyanese miners are being systemically marginalised He claimed that traditional local minersarebeingactivelyforcedoff lucrative state lands, experiencing camp burnings, arrests, and the seizure of their equipment by authorities acting on behalf of senior government officials and politicallyconnectedelites.Calling the situation an absolute breakdown of transparency and resource management, Mohamed concluded his broadcast by demanding the immediate resignationofMinisterMustapha.

Falseandmisleading

Meanwhile,MinisterMustapha responded swiftly with an official statement, rejecting Mohamed’s accusations as entirely false, misleading, and completely unsupported by credible evidence. Mustapha labelled Mohamed a fugitive offender and suggested that the sudden wave of public attacks was a direct retaliation following his son’s decision to pursueanindependentprofessional path away

associations.

The minister emphasised that hischildrenhavebeenlegitimately engaged in medium-scale mining operations for several years, conductingtheiraffairsopenlyand professio

establishedstatutoryframeworks.

Defending the integrity of the allocations, Mustapha argued that his family’s business affairs are completelyseparatefromhispublic officeandthathischildrenpossess thesameconstitutionalrightasany other Guyanese citizen to invest in theextractivesectors.Hestatedthat all properties in question were acquired through the standard, lawful procedures governed by the competent mining authorities, requiring full compliance with regulatory fees and investment mandates.

Theagricultureministershifted the focus back onto the opposition figure by pointing out that it is a matter of clear public record that Mohamed and his family

Gazetted document showing blocks approved by subject Minister for applicant, Javed Mustapha

collectivelyholdminingrightsthat far exceed the combined holdings

e credibility of the narrative being pushed, noting that despite the severity of the accusations

g, Mohamedfailedtoidentifyasingle foreign company or produce a single shred of documentation to substantiatetheclaim.

Concluding his defense, Minister Mustapha stated that repeated allegations made through social media platforms are no substitute for actual proof and cannot function as a replacement for the rule of law He challenged Mohamed to submit whatever purportedevidencehepossessesto the competent investigative bodies for independent review rather than trying individuals in the court of public opinion Mustapha reassertedhiscompleteconfidence in Guyana’s state institutions and urged the public to reject inflammatory rhetoric in favour of factsanddueprocess.

OGGNflagsbloatedcosts recoveredbyExxonMobil ...as Bank of Guyana figure varies from company reports

As Guyanese continue to zero into the operations of ExxonMobil and its statements provided to the press, a glaring disparity has been unearthed which points to billions beingunaccountedfor

The Oil and Gas Governance Network(OGGN)thisweekraised concerns over recent remarks by ExxonMobil’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling who revealed that the company recovered a whopping US$51B from Guyana’s oil, up to

theendofDecember2025.

The overseas based NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) compared the amount recoveredbytheAmericanoilgiant tothetotalrevenuegeneratedinthe Stabroek Block, according to the BankofGuyana(BoG).Tothisend, thetechnicalgroupdiscoveredthat ExxonMobiltookoutmorerevenue for cost recovery than it was allowed during the period 2020 to 2025.

In accordance with the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), ExxonMobil is allowed to take 75% of oil produced each monthtorecoveritsinvestmentsto developtheresourcesinStabroek.

Notably, OGGN said the Bank of Guyana reported that the block generated US$61 3B during the period. This means that 75% for cost should be about US$46B, yet, the company revealed that a staggering US$51B was recovered during the period- some US$5B morethancontractuallyallowed.

The Network explained, “Under the Stabroek Block Production SharingAgreement, up to 75% of oil revenue may be allocated to cost recovery Therefore,ifExxonanditspartners recovered US$51 billion in costs, totaloilrevenuewouldhavehadto be atleast:US$51 billion÷ 75% = US$68 billion. This is at least US$6 7 billion more than the US$61.3 billion indicated by the BankofGuyana’sreports.”

OGGN called on the Government of Guyana (GoG) to address the differences clearly and publicly

It noted that it is currently unclear whether government and the oil companies are using different production volumes, different realised oil prices,

different accounting periods or different definitions of revenue, as anyofthesecouldcontributetothe discrepancies.

OOGN members questioned howthepubliccouldverifythatthe royalty and profit-oil payments receivedbyGuyanaareaccurateif the government cannot establish the accurate amount of oil revenue fortheyearsinquestion.

Guyana commenced oil production in December 2019 but began earning from the sector in 2020 Currently four, Floating ProductionStorageandOffloading vessels (FPSOs) are producing oil intheStabroekBlock.

Guyana earns 12 5% profits after Exxon takes 75% of the revenueforcosts.Theother12.5% profit goes to the Stabroek Block Co-Venturers. Guyana is also paid 2% royalty on every barrel producedeachquarter

The formula used to calculate Guyana’s profits have frequently been questioned as the oil companies continue to report higher profits when compared to Guyana’sshare.

Kaieteur News reported that Exxonandpartnersmadefivetimes the revenue earned by Guyana in 2025. This is significant since the countryisentitledto50%ofprofits generated in the Stabroek Block, whilethecontractor,EMGLenjoys theremaining50%.

MONDAY

MVBarimaDisaster…

Morethan60feareddead - 2 bodies recovered, 67 rescued

A massive search and rescue operationcontinuesoffthecoastof Guyanafollowingthecapsisingof Continued on page 17

Frompage16

theMVBarimanearthePomeroon River While 67 passengers have been successfully pulled from the Atlantic waters, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the exact number of missing persons due to what government officials call “criminal” discrepancies in the ship’sofficialmanifest.

Atapressconferenceheldmore than 18 hours after the disaster, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, acting as head of state and commander of the armed forces, confirmed that two bodies have been recovered so far However, with dozens still unaccountedfor,theultimatedeath tollremainsgrimlyunpredictable.

TheTimelineoftheDisaster

The MV Barima, an “old” vessel that was last dry-docked in 2024, departed the Port of Georgetownatapproximately3:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, 2026. It was bound for Port Kaituma in the Northwest District, heavily laden with 268 tons of cargo, 17 crew members, and an official manifest listing116passengers.

Disaster struck just before midnight. At approximately 11:00 p m , the Timehri control tower picked up a frantic distress signal from the vessel. Simultaneously, desperatevoicenotesfromterrified passengers began circulating through local networks Reports indicate the vessel began listing heavily to one side and capsised rapidly, settling roughly seven milesoffshoreinthevicinityofIron PuntandthePomeroonRiver

The Maritime Emergency Rescue Coordination Center was immediately activated By 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 19, the GuyanaCoastGuardarrivedatthe scene.Theywerequicklyjoinedby afleetof15localvessels,including 11coordinatedlocalfisherfolkand privatesectorassets.

ManifestFraudand aCaptain’sPositiveTest

AnoutragedMinisterofPublic Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, leveled charges against the operators of the vessel during Sunday’s briefing, revealing a systemiccompromiseoftherescue operation According to Edghill, multiple individuals pulled alive from the ocean did not appear anywhere on the ship’s official documentation Out of the 67 rescued,only35werelistedonthe originalmanifest.

“Tobeconfrontedwithareality that despite an official manifest given to us, persons who were rescuedwerenotmanifested-thatis acriminalaction,”MinisterEdghill stated. “Nobody, for the want of a few extra dollars, can cheat a system and compromise the entiresearchandrescueoperation.” Compounding the unfolding scandal, Edghill revealed that routine substance screenings executed following the incident

yieldedadevastatingresult.

“We have a zero tolerance for members of the crew drinking or smoking while at work,” Edghill announced. “And for us to have positivetestsfromthecaptain...this isserious.People’slivesareatrisk, and those matters will be dealt with.”

In addition to those transfers, Lima Regional Hospital directly received17survivorswhohadbeen rescued by local watercraft. These individualsweretransportedviathe Essequibo River after being pulled fromthewaterbysmall-boatrescue teams.

returned to Georgetown Eight families have opted to remain in Essequibotoawaitupdates.

passengerswereneverrecordedon theship’sofficialmanifest.

Update

MassiveMobilisation andMedical

A widespread search grid initially covering 400 square kilometers was aggressively expanded to 1,070 square kilometers by Sunday midday. Debris including black vinyl water tanks, gas bottles, and loose plywoodhavebeenspotteddrifting inthearea.

Local dive teams are being aided by deep-sea capabilities provided by ExxonMobil, which deployed three vessels and a specialised dive team to scan the seabed using advanced sonar technology Regionally, the Regional Security System (RSS) deployed a surveillance aircraft to execute aerial sweeps of the incident area, while further offers of support have arrived from TrinidadandFrenchGuiana.

Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony reported that medical infrastructure was quickly mobilised Approximately 15 doctors were staged at the Charity Hospital, while another 40 physicians stood standby at the LimaRegionalHospital.

A total of 50 survivors were processed and triaged at Charity Hospital. While the majority were managed locally, four individuals required specialised treatment and were subsequently transferred to Lima Regional Hospital for advancedcare.

Currently, medical facilities have successfully treated and releasedmostof thepatients.Only three individuals remain under hospital observation for minor injuries, and all of them are expectedtobedischargedshortly.

Dr.Anthony detailed that most sustained minor abrasions, cuts, and bruises from gripping debris for hours. In one notable case, a medical team replaced a watersoftened plaster cast on a man traveling with an existing fracture. In another miraculous rescue, a mothersuccessfullykeptherinfant, child aged less than a year, above

complications but has since stabilized.

S

NationalCommunity Mobilisation

Essequibo Technical Institute, where the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has deployed child protection officers, psy

counselors.

Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud notedthatteamsareworkingacross Georgetown, Mabaruma, and Port Kaituma to provide grief and psychosocial care to families enduring the agonizing wait for news.Manysurvivorshavealready beenairliftedonwardtoMabaruma and Port Kaituma to reunite with their families, while others were

RosalindaRasul,chairpersonof the Transport and Harbours Department(THD)Board,clarified that while the digital “ferry pass” and point-of-sale systems require passenger identification, the system relies on manual inputs at certain district checkpoints, a vulnerability they are actively correcting via the procurement of newelectronicIDscanners.

The press was told that PresidentIrfaanAli,whowasaway on official business in Canada, cut his trip short after receiving emergencybriefings.

Since the official manifest is highly compromised, the government is pleading with membersofthepublicwhobelieve theirrelativeswereaboardtheMV Barima to contact the authorities immediately The persons are enc

Emergency Command Hotline: 702-8580 and utilize the

Emergency Family Assistance

C e n t e r s : U m a n a Ya n a (Georgetown), Port Kaituma, and Mabaruma.

Majordiscrepancies foundonmanifest

…captain, crew members tested positive for ganja ...32 rescued passengers not listed

TheGovernmentofGuyanahas ordered an urgent investigation

following the catastrophic maritime tragedy aboard the MV Barima,amidshockingrevelations that the vessel’s captain and first engineer tested positive for narcotics, and dozens of rescued

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, speaking at the government’s press conference lastevening,confirmedthatsevere operational breaches and blatant “mischief” have compromised the entirevoyage,promisingthatthose responsiblewillfacethe“fullforce ofthelaw.”

TheNumbers:

AFracturedPaperTrail

The true scope of the administrative breakdown is laid barebythesurvivaldata.While116 peoplewerelegitimatelyaccounted for through modern booking systems,theactualmanifestdidnot match the souls pulled from the water. This booking data was compiled from two primary sources: 100 individuals who secured their spots through the Online Booking System, and an additional 16 persons who registered via the Mobile Money Guyana(MMG)System.

According to data verified by Commander Shamshudeen, a total of67personshavebeenrescuedso far However, a discrepancy has emerged between the rescue operations and official documentation, as only 35 names out of the 67 survivors were actuallyfoundontheofficialflight manifest.Ofthe67individualswho were successfully rescued, the demographic breakdown consists of 36 adults and 15 females Additionally, the survivors include 16 children, who are further categorised as nine girls and seven boys.

Authoritiesalsoconfirmedthat two bodies have been recovered thusfar,bothidentifiedasfemale. Continued on page 18

Photos of passengers whose identities were confirmed up to press time Monday evening

Frompage17

The government has released the vessel’sofficialmanifestalongside thenamesoftherescuedandthose still deemed missing based on currently available information Officials note that these lists will continuouslybeupdatedasintense verification and search efforts progress.

CrewinPoliceCustodyAfter TestingPositiveforDrugs

As search and rescue efforts intensified, medical examinations conducted by healthcare personnel yielded deeply alarming results Theship’scaptain,asailor,andthe first engineer, all survivors of the wreck, are currently in police custody at Anna Regina. Both the captainandthefirstengineertested positive for cannabis during postincident medical testing The vessel’s mate also survived and initially assisted with search and rescue operations before being returned to Georgetown Authoritiesconfirmedthematewas subjected to the same drug panel, buttheresultswerenotthesameas theothercrewmembers.

“Two rescued crew members tested positive for cannabis during medical examinations conducted by the healthcare personnel. And youwouldagreewithmethatthese are deeply concerning and shocking developments,” Minister Edghillstated.“Wherenegligence, misconduct, or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law. There will be no exemptions.”

The investigation is sharply focused on how the vessel was loaded and why the official paperworkfailedtoreflectthetrue numberoflivesonboard.

During the briefing, Kaieteur News pressed the minister on the mechanics of the sinking, asking whetherthevessel’sfailuretoright itself after listing (tilting) was caused by overcrowding, the sheer ageoftheboat,orifitwassimplya roguewave.

Minister Edghill revealed that because of the massive discrepanciesinpassengerdata,he is taking nothing at face value. At the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, he personally summoned thesuperintendentandtherevenue clerk to audit the entire cargo manifestlinebyline.

“Todetermineexactlywhatwas theload...thatgavemeearlyinthe day260,”Edghillexplained,noting that the audit was a meticulous work-in-progress just before he walked into the press room. “We arenottakinganythingforgranted by anybody’s word. We are going back through everything with a fine-toothcomb.”

Addressing the physics of the disaster, maritime experts at the headtableexplainedthatastandard wave should not permanently capsizeashipwithintactstructural integrity

“Itisnotabnormalifawavehits aboatthatitgoes,butitcomesback down,” Edghill noted, before turning the floor over to the technicalexpertstoexplainwhythe vessellistedandstayeddown.

Captain Thomas detailed that while wind and wave actions naturally cause a vessel to heel (tilt), roll, and pitch in the waterway, a ship with “positive stability” will always return to an uprightposition,evenifshoved20 degrees to one side The catastrophic failure to right itself points back to human operational

errorundertreacherousconditions.

“A captain, who may be compromised by whatever, would not be able to look at what is happening with the waves, and so maybe [not] be able to ride those waves,” Captain Thomas stated grimly “We will have an investigation. All these issues will be dealt with during the process of theinvestigation.”

Answering questions from the press regarding what sort of operation or “jiggery-pookery” could have taken place to cause such a dangerous reality, Minister Edghillwasblunt:“Oneword...we can’texcuseit:mischief.Mischief. Andthat’swhyI’moutraged.”

The minister explained that under the Transport and Harbors Department (T&HD) structure, checks and balances should be active. A traffic manager manages the Kingston Goods Wharf, a superintendent is responsible for the physical loading of cargo and passengers,andarevenueofficeris tasked with collecting payments. Because Transport and Harbors operates as the service provider whiletheMaritimeAdministration Department(MARAD)actsstrictly as the regulator, Edghill clarified that this disaster stems directly from operational breaches at the groundlevelratherthanregulatory failure.

Willthe‘BigFishes’ FaceDismissal?

When pressed by reporters on whetherhigh-levelmanagersorthe head of the Transport and Harbors Departmentwouldbefiredoverthe sheer embarrassment and lack of c

, especially regarding a drugimpaired captain, the minister noted that immediate internal

underway

“Wearegettingtothebottomof this,andpeoplewillbedealtwith,” Edghill said, confirming he called a

meetingfollowingthepressbriefto determine if specific oversight p

managers,willbeimmediatelysent on leave pending the multi-agency probe.

The investigation team comprisestheGuyanaPoliceForce (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF),MARAD,andindependent technicalmaritimeexperts.

TUESDAY

Govt.sendshome MVBarimamanagementteam tofacilitateprobeintotragedy ...fears they can tamper evidence of possible wrongdoing

All staff responsible for the loading, dispatch, and overall management of the MV Barima, under the Transport and Harbours Departmenthasbeensentonleave as the probe deepens into the unfortunateincident.

The vessel capsized on Saturdayeveningduringitsvoyage toPortKaituma.BoundforRegion One by Sunday afternoon, the 87year-oldferrywentdownwith133 passengers and crew members, along with 200 tonnes of cargo in the vicinity of Iron Punt, an area knownforitsnotoriouslyroughand deepwaters.

Uptothetimeofthisreport,67 persons were rescued while the bodies of 13 passengers have been recovered.

In a statement early Monday morning,MinisterofPublicWorks,

Juan Edghill said the persons relieved from duty “aims to guarantee the absolute integrity of the upcoming inquiry” and will prevent the likelihood of “tampering with or interference in evidence and materials, thereby ensuring a completely fair and unprejudicedoutcome.”

Edghill reminded that the decision was first announced by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips during a media briefingonSundayinGeorgetown.

Theseniormanagementteamof the MV Barima met with minister Edghillduringalate-nightmeeting on Sunday where they were notified of the suspension and administrative steps moving forward.

Meanwhile, as investigations continue into the tragic incident it was explained that surveillance footage from the Kingston Goods Wharf where the vessel departed around3:15pmhasbeenextracted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) forathoroughreview Government believesthisiscrucialtoproviding vital insights into the sequence of eventsleadinguptothetragedy

The Ministry of Public Works

ing commitment to conducting a

exhaustive investigation into this

accountability

‘Braceyourselfforthecoming days,’Presidenttellsnation afterMVBarimatragedy ...promises full support for survivors, grieving families

PresidentIrfaanAlionMonday saidGuyaneseshouldpreparefor Continued on page 28

Politicalneglectisjustas devastating as emotional neglect. MV Bairma went down killing over 100 Guyanese because of political neglect, so was the Madia fire. The health care system. The road accidents. Political neglect is fuel by greed and corruption, administratedbymentallyill political groups. From 1966 Guyanese are in a state of survival mode; emotionally dysregulated and hijacked nervoussystem.Theresult,a broken society accepting mistreatment with no sense ofselfpreservation Race is not merely a difference among Guyanese people; it was deliberately organised into a system of labour, power and economic

control Colonialism assigned human value accordingtocolour,ancestry and usefulness to the plantation economy Racism

became a means of conducting business and governing Guyanese society from independence It shaped where people lived, theirwork,theopportunities availableandthegroupsthey were taught to fear The psychological architecture of colonialism remained Political loyalty became entangled with ethnic identity, and elections feel like struggles for racial survival.

Attheturnofthetwentyfirst century, Guyana’s dominant mode of business increasingly evolves from overt racism into systemic corruption Race did not disappear; it remained available as a powerful instrument for mobilising fear and loyalty But corruption expanded across ethnic boundaries, connecting political influence, public contracts, natural resources, personal enrichment and access to stateservices.

In this environment, political negligence is understood as one of the greatest threats to Guyanese life. It does not always kill dramaticallyorimmediately Itkillsthroughunsaferoads, weak public systems, delayed medical treatment, preventable accidents, inadequate schools, neglected communities, poverty, hopelessness and the steady migration of skilled citizens It also injures psychologically, creating a population that

Towards a better life with your psychologist

Political Negligence: The Psychological Cost

expects disappointment and learns to survive without trusting the institutions establishedtoprotectit.

NEGLIGENCE AS STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE

Political negligence occurs when leaders possess the authority, information and resources to protect citizensbutrepeatedlyfailto act responsibly It includes

ignoring warnings, postponing maintenance, weakening professional

ng incompetence and allowing political loyalty to replace accountability

When such failures become normal, negligence

ns into structural violence. No single person appears to have pulled a trigger, yet people are harmed because systems werenotdesigned,fundedor managed with human life as the priority A child injured on an unsafe road, an elder unable to obtain timely healthcare, or a family trapped in an unhealthy community experiences the consequences of political decisions.

N e g l i g e n c e communicates a devastating psychological message: “Your life is not important enough for us to plan carefully, act promptly or accept responsibility.” This message damages national self-worth.

PSYCHOLOGICAL COST TO HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Children are among the first casualties of political n e g l i g e n c e , t h e i r development depends upon stable families, safe communities, reliable schools, adequate nutrition and accessible healthcare.

W i t h t h e s e w e a k foundations, Guyanese

children grow up in prolonged states of uncertainty

Chronic uncertainty activates the stress-response system A child who is repeatedly exposed to poverty, community

v i o l e n c e , u n s a f e transportation, family

instability or poorly resourced schools may become hypervigilant. The brain learns to prepare for danger instead of concentrating on learning, creativity and healthy relationships. This can appear as

aggression, withdrawal, anxiety, poor concentration, emotional outbursts or apparent disrespect. Adults may punish the behaviour without recognising the distressbeneathit.

Political negligence

damages children by exhausting their parents

Adults struggling with unemployment, low wages, inadequate services and constant financial pressure may become emotionally unavailable. Parents turn to alcohol, substances, gambling, violence or harsh discipline Their children then inherit emotional wounds created not only insidethefamilybutalsoby the conditions surrounding it.

A neglected child eventuallybecomesanangry adolescent,afearfuladultor a parent who repeats what was done to them. Just like our politicians. In this way, public negligence becomes private trauma, which becomes intergenerational trauma.

Many elders sacrificed greatly to raise children, build communities and contribute to national life. Yetsomeenteroldagefacing f

y, loneliness, inadequate healthcare and dependence upon relatives who are themselves struggling or livingoverseas.

producesmorethanphysical

humiliation, grief and a

disposability Whenanolder person must repeatedly beg for services, medication, transportation or basic dignity, the state reinforces the belief that human worth decreaseswithage.

y, unresolved grief and fear of becoming a burden. Social isolation can worsen cognitive decline and physicalillness.Anationthat abandonsitseldersalsoloses history, cultural memory, practical wisdom and

l connection.

Guyana is growing but not developing Human developmentisnotmeasured only by buildings, oil revenues, highways or economic growth It’s measuredbywhetherpeople are becoming healthier, safer, better educated,

emotionally secure and capableofimaginingafuture withintheirowncountry

A nation may become wealthier while its people remain psychologically impoverished Corruption redirectsresources,weakens trustandteachescitizensthat connections matter more than competence Young people learn that integrity is naïve, qualifications are insufficient and success depends upon political access. Some imitate the system; others withdraw fromit;manymigrate.

This erosion of trust is one of corruption’s deepest p s y c h o l o g i c a l consequences. People stop believingthatreportswillbe investigated, that rules will be applied fairly or that leaders will accept responsibility Helplessness

becomes normalised Citizens complain privately but remain silent publicly because they fear victimisation or believe that nothingwillchange.

The result is collective trauma: anger without direction, grief without acknowledgement and fear without security Society becomes emotionally dysregulated. Every tragedy quickly becomes racialised orpoliticised,preventingthe shared mourning and honest investigation necessary for healing.

PSYCHE OF GUYANESE LEADERS

Guyanapoliticalsystems are operated by human beings with psychological histories. Their unresolved childhood experiences influence how they relate to power,criticism,loyaltyand control. Childhood deprivation contributes to compulsive accumulation, maga farm. Humiliation produces an excessive need for recognition. Emotional neglect weaken empathy for others, while exposure to d o m i n a t i o n m a k e authoritarian behaviour appearnormal.

Psychological history mattersbecauseunexamined wounds become dangerous when combined with power and limited accountability Guyanese leaders who need constant admiration surround himself with compliant supporters. One whofearsabandonmenttreat disagreement as betrayal. A person driven by scarcity accumulate wealth far

beyondanylegitimate need All of our presidents projected inner insecurity onto critics, minorities or politicalopponents.

By Dr. Telford Layne Jr. PsyD, MSc. Postgrad, BSc. Clinical and Developmental Psychologist - Psychoanalyst Unwrapping

When Guyanese leaders refuse selfexamination, the nation is forced to act out their unresolved conflicts.

Citizensbecomedividedinto loyalistsandenemies.Public resourcesareusedtoreward submission. Truth becomes threateningbyministers,and accountability is treated as persecutionhencetherefusal ofministerialresignations.

Greed is more than the desire for money It became an attempt to fill an emotional emptiness, in Guyanese leaders, that material possessions cannot satisfy

When public office becomes the means of soothing insecurity, proving importance or rewarding one’s inner circle, national development is sacrificed to privatepsychologicalneeds.

FROM NATIONAL TRAUMA TO NATIONAL HEALING

Nationalhealingrequires transparent institutions, independent oversight, professional public services a n d m e a n i n g f u l consequences for corruption andnegligence.Competence must become more valuable than loyalty, and human life

Gift -Clinic

more valuable than political reputation.

C i

h

e responsibilities. Racial fear must no longer excuse corruption Politicalloyalty must not silence moral judgment. Religious bodies, professionals, educators, journalists and community leadersmustresistbecoming extensions of political machinery

G

resources are not found beneath its soil or offshore. They are found in the minds ofitschildren,thewisdomof its elders and the creative capacityofitspeople.When political negligence injures these human resources, no amount of national wealth canfullycompensateforthe loss.

T

continue organising public life around fear, greed, race

preservation, or

psychological maturity and respectforhumandignity

By Dr. Karen Abrams, MBA, AA

There is a woman in Guyana who has lost seven children on the ill-fated MV Barima vessel. A family of 17peoplebeganthejourney, only 7 survived. I have tried all week to find words large enough for those two

s e n t e n c e s I w a s unsuccessful.Therecomesa point when statistics fail us. They cannot capture the silence of an empty home, the unanswered phone calls, the untouched schoolbooks, the birthday that will never be celebrated, or the unbearable task of explaining to a parent why the future they imagined disappeared beneath the water

Anationisgrieving.The survivors are grieving. The families are grieving. The children who survived will carry memories no child should ever have to carry Thousands who never stepped aboard the MV Barima have also been traumatised because every Guyanese can see themselves, their parents, their children, or their neighbours in this tragedy This cannot become another news cycle It cannot b e c o m e a n o t h e r commission, another report, another promise, followed by a quiet return to business asusual.

For years I have written about children I have written about literacy, robotics, mathematics,

e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p , technology, innovation, equal access, and the importance of giving every child, regardless of geography or income, the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. I have written about planning,

systems, competent l e a d e r s h i p , a n d organisations that function because they are built on preparation rather than improvisation.RarelyhaveI written about consequences. Todaywearelivingthem.

For decades, people travelling to the North West have complained about the conditionsunderwhichthey travel. The historical record surrounding replacement vessels, delayed contracts, unfinished wharf facilities,

Advancing Education, Technology & Innovation in Guyana…

We Are Living the Consequences

a n d i n c o m p l e t e infrastructure raises serious questions that deserve honestanswers.Notbecause blame is our first responsibility, but because learningis.

Every life lost deserves that respect. I also cannot escape an uncomfortable thought Had Cabinet ministers, senior public officials,prominentbusiness leaders, and their families dependedonthatferryevery week,woulditsreplacement have taken so long? Would supporting infrastructure have remained unfinished for years? Would the people of Region One have been expected to accept conditionsthatnoonewould tolerate elsewhere? These are difficult questions. But theyarefairquestions.

The people of Region One deserve transportation thatreflectsthevalueoftheir lives, not the remoteness of their homes. Their children areworthexactlyasmuchas every child in Georgetown. Their parents matter exactly as much Their futures matterexactlyasmuch.

One of the deepest wounds exposed by this tragedy is the collapse of public trust. In every crisis, governments are forced to make difficult decisions. No administration responds perfectly Citizens understandthat. What they cannot accept is secrecy While families continuesearchingforloved ones, journalists, opposition representatives, and independent voices have found themselves excluded from parts of the response. Yet these are precisely the momentswhentransparency matters most. Experienced leaders understand that criticism does not disappear when critics are shut out. It simplygrowslouder

The strongest leaders do something different. They bring critics to the table. They recognise that a national tragedy belongs to the nation. They co-opt expertisewherevertheyfind it. They invite scrutiny becausetheyunderstandthat transparency builds confidence, even when the newsisdifficult.

I n s t e a d , e v e r y unanswered question now creates three more. Every government statement waits forindependentverification. That may be the greatest tragedy beyond the loss of life A government’s reputationisnotbuiltduring acrisis.

It is revealed by one. Trustcannotbedemanded.It must be earned, year after year, through competence, consistency, humility, and honesty Without trust, even truthful explanations struggletopersuade.

As I reflect on this tragedy, I find myself returningtosomethingmuch largerthanaferry.Foryears STEMGuyana has quietly tried to build systems that work We developed structured learning models. We measured outcomes. We invested in teacher support, technology, accountability, a n d c o n t i n u o u s improvement because children deserve excellence, notexcuses.

Alongtheway,ourwork has been embraced by parents and sponsors who understand the critical importance of investing in

children Like many organisationsworkinginthe publicinterest,wehavealso experienced moments when p

o r collaboration and slowed initiatives that could have benefited young people. Yet wepersisted.Why?Because parents understood something that politics shouldneverforget:children cannotwait.

Everydayachildlosesis a day that can never be returned. The lesson of the MV Barima is not simply thatavesselsank.Thelesson is that no nation can build first-class outcomes on second-class systems We cannotrewardloyaltyabove competence and expect excellence We cannot sideline professionals and expect world-class results. We c a n n o t d e l a y maintenance, postpone infrastructure, weaken institutions, and then act surprised when systems fail underpressure.

Sometimes they arrive quietly in the form of children who cannot read. Sometimes they arrive in hospitals. Sometimes they arriveinfailingschools.And sometimestheyarriveinthe darkness of the Atlantic Ocean.

This is not the Guyana our children deserve. They deserve a country where preparation matters. Where evidence matters Where investment in people matters.Whereengineersare allowed to engineer Where educators are allowed to educate. Where emergency managers lead emergencies. Where procurement is transparent. Where public warnings are investigated. Where merit matters more thanpatronage.Wheretalent matters more than political loyalty

Aboveall,theydeservea government that sees every citizen as equally worthy of safety, dignity, and

opportunity, whether they

Mabaruma,PortKaituma,or the deepest hinterland community

governments should be perfect But because the people deserve better The opposition must also be prepared to govern better

The media must continue asking difficult questions.

Citizens must refuse to become numb.And all of us must insist that institutions become stronger than politics.

professionalism, and build institutions worthy of our children, then perhaps, through unimaginable sorrow, something enduring canemerge.

I write this column through tears Not as a political activist. Not as the founder of an educational organisation Not as a columnist.

But as a Guyanese who believes that every child deserves to grow up in a country where effort is rewarded, preparation is respected, institutions are trusted, and government serves with competence, humility,andintegrity

The children of Guyana arewatchingus.Thecountry we build after the MV Barima tragedy will teach them what we truly value, not by what we say, but by whatwechoosetochange.

The greatest tribute we canofferthosewhoperished is not another wreath, another speech, or another day of mourning. It is a solemn commitment that their deaths will force us to become a better country Sometragediesaretoogreat to explain. But none are too great to learn from. If we simply grieve and move on, then we will have mourned withoutchanging. Ifwedemandexcellence,

Frompage18

the difficult days ahead, as the country grapples with the devastating capsizing of the MV Barimaandasrescuerscontinuethe desperate search for those still missing.

In a televised address to the nation after visiting survivors and grieving families in Port Kaituma and Mabaruma, the president said the tragedy has left the country in mourning and pledged that the government will stand with every affectedfamily

Earlierintheday,thepresident metwithsurvivors,relativesofthe missing and injured passengers

receiving treatment at the MabarumaRegionalHospital.

“It was a deeply emotional experience I listened to their stories, shared in their pain and anxiety, and assured them that every practical measure would be taken to provide the support and assistancetheyneedatthistime.”

He said the government’s immediate focus remains on the search and rescue operation, stressing that every available resourcehasbeendeployedtofind thosewhoarestillunaccountedfor

“Ourpriorityistoprotectevery life that can still be saved, to support those who have endured unimaginable trauma and loss, to comfort grieving families and to account for every person who remainsunaccountedfor,”Alisaid.

“Every minute matters. Every life matters Every possible resource is being mobilised in pursuitofthismission.”

The president assured the nationthatthesearchwillcontinue foraslongasthereishope.

“Every available asset is being deployed and every agency is working around the clock.We will continue this effort with determination and resolve until every possible avenue has been exhausted,”hesaid.

Ali also committed to a full, thorough and independent investigation into the disaster He said Guyanese deserve to know exactlywhathappened.

“The families affected and the peopleofGuyanadeserveanswers. They deserve to know precisely what transpired and whether any failures contributed to this heartbreaking event We will pursue the truth with transparency, impartialityandaccountability,”he said.

Hepraisedtheeffortsofrescue teams, members of the joint services, fishermen, volunteers, regionalofficials,religiousleaders, the private sector and others who respondedtothetragedy

PresidentAlicalledfornational unity,andurgedcitizenstosupport those affected instead of allowing divisions to overshadow the country’sresponse.

Acknowledging that the full impact of the tragedy is still

unfolding, the president warned thatthenationmustbepreparedfor difficultnewsinthedaysahead.

“Brace yourself for the coming days.Itisgoingtobedifficultforall ofus.”

Ali added that he will soon announce the form of national mourningthatGuyanawillobserve inhonourofthevictims.

WEDNESDAY

MVBarimaDisaster...

Deathtollnowpeggedat103 ...as 22 more bodies recovered on Day Three

...Govt. says 76 survivors accounted for

ByKhadidjaBa

The death toll following the capsisingoftheMVBarimaisnow peggedat103,followingthreedays of search and rescue by the coast guard,OppositionLeaderAzruddin Mohamed, owners of private vessels,andlocalfishermen.

Thecasualtycountrosesharply after rescue teams recovered an additional 22 bodies during operations on the third day of the maritime disaster, while the verified total of rescued survivors, accordingtothegovernment,stood at76.

Calls intensified for the removal of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill from office following what is being described as Guyana’s deadliest maritime disaster Thedemandscomeonthe heels of the government’s decision on Monday morning to send the entire management team responsible for the loading, dispatch, and overall oversight of the MV Barima on administrative leave pending an investigation Pointing to systemic failures and lapses in leadership, political stakeholders from WIN, APNU, FGM and VPAC argue that accountability should not end with those directly responsible for the vessel, but should also extend to ministers with oversight responsibility for the relevant agencies. Demands have likewise been voiced for the removal of Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar, as well as M

Department (MARAD) Director

GeneralStephenThomas.

At a press conference on Monday evening, Minister Edghill wasaskedwhetherthecallsforhis resignation in light of the tragedy were justified. While Edghill did not respond to the question, Prime Minister Mark Phillips answered on his behalf, saying such a decisioncouldnotbeaddressedby anyoneatthepressconference.

“Let me answer all the questions,”PrimeMinisterPhillips said “Minister Edghill was appointed by a president of Guyana…ButIwanttoalsoinform you and remind you that, that decision lies with the president. None of us here cannot answer that.”

Phillips noted that officials, including President Irfaan Ali, are aware of the calls for Minister Edghill’sresignationanddismissed those calls as “noise ” When pressedfurtheronthematterduring a subsequent briefing, the Prime Minister remained firm in his position.

“As far as I’m concerned, there’salotofnoiseouttherefrom the opposition. I am not getting angry,Iamjustbeadamantthatthe focusisondealingwiththesearch, rescue and recovery operation There are opposition elements that are contributing to the search Thereareoppositionelementswho aremakingalotofnoiseoutthere. And I said, not only that they’re making noise, I said, Guyana remains a democratic state. People havearighttosaywhattheywantto

confirmed that 77 persons who wereonboardhadbeenbroughtto safety,withofficialworkingtallies recording 76 reconciled cases at 18:00hours.Officialupdatesnoted that 53 bodies had been recovered by official units as at 18:00 hours, of which 26 have been positively identified.

French and local divers continue to conduct underwater operations at the wreckage site Authorities confirmed that after thoroughly searching the submerged structure, no survivors remain inside the vessel, officially transitioningworkatthehullfroma searchtoastrictrecoveryexercise. Divers did identify one body trapped within the wreckage, but were unable to immediately recover it as of 18:00 hours due to thecomplexityoftheextraction.

say Once they don’t go down, breaking and damaging buildings andprivatepropertyandgoingtoa stateofdisorder That’swhatIsaid yesterday,andIstandbyeverything that I said yesterday I believe in that.IbelieveinwhatIsaid.AndI believethatwhatI’mdoingnowis the right thing Focusing on bringing closure to those people who would have lost their loved ones.Andensuringthosewhowere rescued get the best care. Many of them remain traumatied And working in this whole of government approach, which includes the opposition elements whowantstobehelpful.”

Following the confirmation of the coordinates of the MV Barima wreckage, search, rescue, and recovery operations have intensified significantly The government said 16 state and private sector vessels are currently deployedwithinthewreckagearea, while the designated search area hasbeenexpandedbyanadditional 400 square miles Extending to Waini Point, the expansion means authorities are now searching an area of 2,100 square kilometers to maximisethelikelihoodoflocating any remaining persons who might stillbealive.

The governmentexplainedthat ongoing verification exercises reconciled information received from multiple sources involved in the operation While 69 rescued individuals had been reported previously, overnight crossreferencing and verification

“Well, they saw one body and the divers, they’re the ones who must make the call as to whether they can, where the body’s located and whether they can recover the body from the vessel,” the prime minister explained regarding the extraction efforts. “The report we got is that they were unable to do that Okay, however, this is an ongoingexercise.Morediverswill go down. They will go down with moreequipment.Anditisourhope that we will reach the point where they’ll be able to safely extract the bodyorextricatethebodyfromthe vessel. That’s not the end of it. Effortswillstillbemadetorecover thatbody Wehavethedivers,local divers, we have the French divers, and we have divers coming from Trinidad and Brazil tomorrow So, there’s a concentrated focus on dealing with searching the vessel, recovering bodies from the vessel. And sometime in the future, the discussions as to whether we salvage the vessel and so we will enter into those discussions in the nearfuture.Butrightnow,thefocus and the concentration is on searching and recovering as much aspossiblebodiesfromthevessel.”

Additional support from the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil is en route to Guyana, with personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard andtheBrazilianNavyexpectedto reinforce the ongoing search and rescue operations The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center remains fully operational, and officials pledged that operations willcontinueuntileveryreasonable efforthasbeenexhausted.

To assist grieving relatives, several aircraft have been engaged to transport family members from interior communities, including Port Kaituma, Mabaruma, and Georgetown, to the hospital in RegionTwotoassistinidentifying theirlovedones.MinisterofHealth Dr Frank Anthony and his team remain at the hospital to facilitate theidentificationandreleaseof Continued on page 29

Frompage28 bodies.Ofthoseidentified,11have already been repatriated to their respectivehomecommunitiesupon request, with regional authorities providing financial and logistical support for wakes, funerals, and interments in keeping with the religiousandpersonalwishesofthe families.

All private boat operators, fishermen, and stakeholders participatingintherecoveryefforts havebeenremindedthatanybodies retrievedatseamustbetransferred immediately to the custody of the Guyana Police Force at the designatedfacilityatCharityRiver Dam, in strict accordance with established recovery protocols One Guyana Coast Guard vessel recentlyrecoveredfivebodiesfrom the water and returned to shore to offload them before heading back outtothesearcharea.

Addressingquestionsregarding losses sustained in the sink, the primeministerconfirmedthatstate propertywasalsoonboard.

“I’m advised that public works wouldhavelostsomeequipment... fuel, machinery, and so,ATVs, but all those things would be itemised as part of the whole investigative process,” Phillips stated Asked whetheranygovernmentofficialor ministerinsistedthatthoseitemsbe loadedregardlessoflimitations,he added,“Idon’thavesuchareport.I cannot say yes or no. I don’t have such a report. If there is such a report out there, I would say when the investigation commence, those people could come forward and they can submit statements. If you have a report, when the investigation process start, the commissionofinquiry,orwhatever you wanna call it, feel free, come forward, and give statements, present your facts to that commissionofinquiry.Thatwillbe an independent commission of inquiry We are obligated as a government to do that. A lot of peoplelosttheirlivesthere.Alotof people,eventhoughtheymayhave beenrescued,theylefttraumatized. People would have lost their ornaments. So, we are obligated to dosuchaninvestigation.”

Phillipsfurtheraddressedlongstanding systemic vulnerabilities, acknowledging that government vesselsaretypicallyuninsuredasa matter of policy, with the state assuming direct liability for accidents and compensation He also noted that crew members on government vessels have historically faced disciplinary actions for various infractions, includingunauthorizedpassengers, illicitcargo,andprotocolbreaches, pointing to a breakdown in inspection systems that the upcoming inquiry will need to examine.

Earlierintheday,Leaderofthe Opposition Azruddin Mohamed provided a direct account of the

Residents of Mabaruma gathered in unity this evening for a Candlelight Vigil to honour and remember the lives lost in the tragic MV Barima incident.As candles were lit and prayers were offered, the community stood together in remembrance, extending heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the departed.

situation on the water during an interview with senior journalist Gordon Moseley Operating near thesitewheretheferrywentdown, Mohamed described the expansive natureofthesearchzonedrivenby strong coastal tides, noting that search teams had found about 10 bodies near the mouth of the Pomeroon River, some 25 miles fromthewreckagelocation.

“Everyone, they’re saying one story,” Mohamed reported after speaking with survivors and grieving families. “That the vessel went down, the 90-year-old vessel wentdownat10:30p.m.Thevessel was overloaded And it’s a negligenceoftheMinisterofPublic Works.Wewouldliketoknow,I’m calling on the Minister of Public Works to resign immediately Resign immediately because over 100lives...It’ssadtosaythis,butit looks like over 100 Yesterday morning at 8:30, the first body I recover was a two-year-old baby girl. What is it to politicize? The minister must resign immediately Liveslost.Thisisoneofthebiggest

national tragedies in this country aftertheJonestownmassacre.This isthebiggest.Sowhat,we’regoing to keep allowing things to happen anddon’tholdthemaccountable?”

Mohamed highlighted severe operational failures, including conflicting passenger manifests and direct executive pressure placedonvesselstaff.

“We don’t even know how much passengers on board,” Mohamedsaid.“Themanifest,one time we heard 116 plus 17. Now they’re giving us different figures. Differentnumbers.Wedon’tknow how much persons are on the vessel.Thatistobeginwith.So,no rules, all systems broken The captain, now this poor innocent man, they want to pin all the problems, like the fault of the captain Even the family of the captain reached out to me and mentionedphonecallswouldcome to him to put more cargo vessel. Let’s say if they don’t want to accept some of the cargo, phone calls would come to him. He said, what can I do? What can I do?

You’re getting calls from the top. So, this is the problem in the country Thisistheproblem,where the ministers influenc

ng everythingasitrelatestosafety.”

Mohamedalsoraisedquestions regarding delayed maintenance on the aging vessel, alleging administrative inaction despite allocatedfunds.

“In March of 2026, a contract was to be awarded for 120something million dollars maintenance on the same MV Barima,” Mohamed stated. “Can you believe they have internal fighting on who to get the contract for the vessel, and up to today no work was done on the vessel? So, what about Malali and all these otheroldvesselstoo?Theyneedto ensure they fix these vessels up as soon as possible and get new vessels.Forthepastthreeyearswe had trillion-dollar economies, but mostofthemoneyasImentionedto corruption and into wrong deals, andthepoorpeopleofthiscountry gottasuffertoday Thisvesselis90 years old We should have

condemned this vessel not today, years now Now, they don’t even haveascaletoweighthecargo.The manifest not reflecting the true number.”

The government has reiterated its condolences to the families affected by the tragedy and emphasised its commitment to providing full support throughout the search and recovery process. President Irfaan Ali has officially declared three days of national mourning, calling on the nation to keepthevictims,theirfamilies,and all rescue personnel in their thoughts and prayers as operations continue.

THURSDAY

Billionsfromoil,nosafepassage forhinterlandresidents–MP HastingsonMVBarimatragedy

Member of Parliament for We InvestinNationhood(WIN),Dawn Hastings-Williams, on Wednesday lamented the risky river travel conditions that residents of hinterland communities are forced to endure in an oil-rich nation, where flights from Ogle remain a luxury

In her remarks at the joint opposition press conference, she highlighted that, “ there has never been, a comprehensive reviewofthetransportationservice bysea,air,orlandforthehinterland residents.”

She explained that in the absenceofsufficientseatingaboard the vessel, passengers were forced to sling hammocks or spread bedsheets and cardboard on the floor, a practice she described as unacceptableinmoderntimes.

The politician reminded the mediathatitisthe21stcenturyand yet Indigenous people are still forced to travel by river. She said the tragedy has shed light on the conditions hinterland residents endure for extended periods to reachtheirdestinations.

Referencing the Mahdia dormitory fire, which claimed the lives of more than 20 Indigenous children, Hastings-Williams said the MV Barima tragedy has reopened painful wounds in Indigenouscommunitiesacrossthe country

Breachedmaritimeregulations

Speakingonwhatshedescribed as breaches of maritime regulations,theWINMPlamented the loss of so many lives while authorities continued to provide inaccurateinformation,leavingthe total number of passengers aboard thevesselunknown.

“It is unfortunate that we have tomournthelossofsomanylives. It is very unfortunate. Up to this time, we have not known exactly how many passengers boarded the MV Barima due to inaccurate information that we continue to receivefromtheauthorities.Itis Continued on page 30

Frompage29 quite possible that many of them may have been children.As of the reports received on Tuesday, the bodies recovered were 11 female children and four male children. That gives us a total of 15, of our babies,ourchildrenlosttheirlives. This is a clear indication that the maritimeruleswerebreached,”she said.

She said the discrepancies

suggest proper passenger registration procedures were not followed, raising serious concerns about compliance with maritime

safety requirements and accountability in the event of an emergency

Expressing her perspective as an Indigenous person, she said all lives matter, irrespective of a person’sethnicity,wheretheylive, ortheireconomicstatus.Whilethe Barima-Waini Region is populated byvariousethnicgroups,shenoted that it is public knowledge that many Indigenous people reside there.

“We are aware that the toshaos are out here in Georgetown for the

National Toshao’s Council

Conference I call on our Indigenous leaders to demand justice for the families who have lost their loved ones Men, indigenous men, women, children, babies, and in no less terms, I ask thattheleadersdemandforalongterm psychological and trauma support for the survivors and the bereaved families, as. indigenous peoples,wearefrustratedandtired by how this government continues totreatusasifwedonotmatter,and we will no longer accept being pushed to the margins of our own land,”sheadded.

Differencesmustgive waytosomethinggreater

Opposition Chief Whip and WIN MP Tabitha Sarabo-Halley highlighted that while those at the head table represented different political parties and held different philosophies and views on how Guyana should be governed, there aremomentsinthelifeofacountry when those differences must give waytosomethinggreater

“This is one of those moments. The tragedy involved in MV Barima, has affected families, communities, and our nation as a whole.Ithasremindedusthatwhen lives are at stake, political differences must become

secondary to our shared responsibility to the people of Guyana.…Thistragedyremindsor demands more than expressions of sympathy, it demands answers, it demandsaccountability,andabove all,itdemandsactiontoensurethat nofamilyeverhastoenduresucha tragedyagain.Itisforthosereasons that the joint opposition has come togetherwithoneunitedvoice,”she said.

Sarabo-Halley added that the

confidence that every possible lesson will be learned and every necessary reform implemented to safeguard those who travel the country’s rivers and waterways

Above all, she said, it is owed to thosewholosttheirlivesaboardthe MV Barima to ensure that their passing is not simply mourned but becomes the catalyst for meaningfulchangethatwillprotect futuregenerations.

Noplansinplace foremergencies

General Secretary of WIN, Odessa Primus said based on what hasoccurredoverthepastfewdays, it appears Guyana has no emergency plans in place She reminded those present that a similar situation unfolded a few years ago during the Mahdia Dormitory fire, when several innocentchildrenlosttheirlives.

“…itappearsasthoughevenin thefaceofthattragedy,wehavenot taken an opportunity to learn from that,asthegovernment,andthatis wholly unfortunate. I do believe that,inthefaceofacrisis,andI’m sure, as is shared by many of my colleagues here at the table today, weneedeachothermorethanever, and a tragedy of that magnitude, and the resources that we have, it calls for all hands on deck,” she added.

The MP also focused on the psychological impact the images and messages circulating over the

overloaded In light of those statements, Bess challenged Edghilltoexplainthemethodused todeterminetheloadingcapacityof not only the MV Barima but other ferriesaswell.

“These ferries are owned and controlled by the state, which means the responsibility falls directly at the feet of the government What method was used to calculate where the passengersweighed,whatthecargo was made are what we used when we got it at an average. How can you demonstrate whether that vesselhadtherequirementofcargo ornot?”hequestioned.

past several days will have on the public,notingthatthereappearsto be no adequate psychosocial support system in place. She said thatwhensupportisavailable,itis often limited to the victims themselves and, in fewer cases, extendedtotheirfamilies.

Shecalledforthispracticetobe revised and urged the relevant ministriestotakeamoreactiverole in addressing the issue, including contacting professionals in the diaspora to provide assistance if needed.

Edghill’sadmissions Leader of the Vigilant Political Action Committee (VPAC), Dorwain Bess, raised several questions regarding admissions made publicly by Minister of PublicWorksJuanEdghill.

“The minister would have admitted publicly that this vessel wasduefordrydock.Iaskthatthe press and every right-thinking

recommendation, it says the two main turbos need to be changed. Whatistheturbousedfor?Togive theenginepower.Whywouldyou, ifthecaptainrecommendsthisship historical, send that same desolate seat immediately? It should be criminal investigation and charges being laid wherever it should be,” hesaid.

He further reminded the media that the minister had repeatedly

Bess also questioned the presence of fuel aboard the vessel. He asked whether it was standard practice for the ferry to transport petroleum products, whether the fuel was properly stored, and whether it posed a significant fire risk, calling it another disaster waitingtohappen.

“Those three right there, I believe, should call for an immediate criminal investigation for the negligence of the people responsibleforthe150livesthatwe arenowsittinginonit,”hesaid.

FRIDAY

NinevictimsofMVBarima tragedylaidtorest

Nine persons who lost their lives in the tragic MV Barima incident on Saturday night were laidtorestonThursday

Theill-fatedvesseldepartedthe Transport and Harbours Department wharf at Kingston, Georgetown,atapproximately3:15 p.m. on Saturday July 18. It was expected to arrive at Port Kaituma on Sunday afternoon after travelling along Guyana’sAtlantic Coastline.

Instead, the 87-year-old vessel went down about seven miles offshore near Iron Punt, in the vicinity of the Pomeroon River, whileonitsscheduledvoyagefrom Georgetown to Port Kaituma, RegionOne.

Figures disclosed by

governmentsuggestthatthevessel was carrying at least 179 persons including crew members, passengersincludingchildren.

To date, the incident has since claimedthelivesof72persons,65 ofwhichwerepositivelyidentified by families. A total of 76 persons wererescued.

On Thursday, families of nine of the deceased bid their final farewell at their respective communities Among those gathered at the funeral services were members of the cabinet and regionaladministrativeofficials.

Those who were laid to rest were seven-year-old Aarave Daniels and his aunt 13-yearold Shamera Smith of White Water Village,RegionOne.

Victims, Gwenette Nunes and herdaughterUlandaMarqueswere laidtorest.Afuneralserviceforthe mother and her daughter was held on the lawns of the Region One RegionalDemocraticCouncil.

Family,friendsandresidentsof WakenaamIslandonThursdaybid their final farewell to 11-year-old RonaldoPoon.

Also laid to rest was Ravindra Singh and Bibi Mohamed, who wereonboardthevesselheadingto Port Kaituma for work Family, friends and residents gathered in Zeelugt, Region Three where a funeralservicewasheldforthem.

Another victim, 28-year-old Kevin Wilson, a crew member of the MV Barima was laid to rest at Edinburgh,EastBankBerbice.

On Thursday also, family and friends gathered at the Memorial Gardens to pay their final respects to Clairmonte King, a beloved fatherandhusbandwholosthislife intheMVBarimatragedy.

This publication understands that funeral services for more victims are expected to continue today(Friday).

The tragic incident left dozens of families devastated and the widernationinmourning.

Authorities, having received reports of the incident launched search, rescue, and recovery operations which intensified with the arrival of maritime assets and personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the BrazilianNavy Itwasreportedthat in rescuing survivors and recovering bodies, 19 vessels and three aircraft are now actively engagedatthecrashsite,supported by specialised diving teams Meanwhile, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard and the Mar

ion Department (MARAD) have deployed smaller vessels further inlandtosearchshorelineareasand vegetation Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, along with local fishermen and private boat owners,havebeenassisting.

Following the incident, PresidentIrfaanAlionTuesdayhad Continued on page 31

Frompage30 declared three days, Wednesday to Friday of national mourning in honourofthevictims,duringwhich all national flags will fly at halfmast.

Policedetain,thenapologiseto, peacefulprotestersatnational vigilforMVBarimavictims

The Guyana Police Force (GPF)isfacingmountingcriticism after officers arrested and briefly detained three female civil society activists during a governmentorganisednationalprayerserviceat the Kingston Seawall on Wednesdayevening,inanincident

critics say raises serious constitutionalbreaches.

Sherlina Nageer, Salima Bacchus-Hinds,andRomolaLucas weretakenintocustodyonJuly22 after staging a quiet demonstration calling for the resignation and prosecution of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill. The vigil had been organised to honour the victims of the MV Barima, the Georgetown-to-PortKaitumaferry thatcapsisedandsankonSaturday, July18.

Accordingtoamediastatement issued Thursday by the demonstrators, a group of five women stood on the periphery of the Bandstand holding signs demanding political accountability for what they described as a “completelypreventable”maritime tragedy Witnessessaidthewomen engagedpeacefullywithpassersby throughout the prayers and songs thatmarkedtheservice.

Tensions rose roughly an hour into the event, however, when the group relocated near the “One Guyana” sign along the seawall. Policeofficersconfrontedthemand instructed them to clear the area. When the activists questioned the legal basis for the order and attemptedtoreturntotheiroriginal position, officers moved to detain them.

The activists allege that officers forcibly dragged Nageer before taking her into custody

Bacchus-Hinds and Lucas were arrested shortly after, having followed Nageer to the Brickdam Police Station, which is currently operating out of the Eve Leary compound Police initially justified the arrests by citing “unlawfulprotest,”theabsenceof a permit, and possession of “illegalsigns ”

All three women were released on their own recognisance after roughlyanhourincustody Intheir statement, the activists said police subsequently dropped all charges and offered an apology during a follow-up meeting with the Police CommanderonThursdaymorning.

Despite that apology, the women condemned the episode as an act of state overreach and physical abuse, invoking Article

oftheConstitutionof

which guarantees freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration.

“The verbal harassment, physical abuse, and arbitrary detention of three peaceful protestors amounts to State overreach, abuse of power, and threatens the constitutional rights ofallcitizens,”theactivistssaidin theirstatement.

Thegroupconfirmeditwillfile a formal complaint with the Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) over the officers’conduct.

The incident has added fresh scrutinytothefalloutfromtheMV Barima sinking, which has left dozens dead or unaccounted for.

The activists are pressing for an independent, transparent investigation into the disaster, a comprehensive overhaul of hinterland and coastal public transport infrastructure, and the immediate resignation of Minister Edghill.

As of Thursday, neither government officials nor police representativeshadissuedaformal public statement addressing the officers’conductattheseawall.

SATURDAY

MVBarimaDisaster…

73bodiesfound,69identified ...Govt., grieving families clash over earthen burial ...as tugs remain idle at disaster site

Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips confirmed Fridaythatthesearchforvictimsof the MV Barima capsizing has expanded, with recovery crews now combing an additional 32 square miles stretching west to WainiPointandeasttoAdventure.

Seventeen state assets three aircraftand14maritimevessels— remain engaged around the clock, backed by continuous aerial surveillance.

Safraz Nathaniel Matabheek struggles to find physical balance as he sits beside the coffins of his wife and three children on Friday.

Diverscompletedfivediveson Friday, each lasting 45 to 60 minutes One recovered a body from the vessel, bringing the number of bodies found to 73, of whom 69 have been positively identified. Of those, 63 have been released to their families, and six more are being transported to their home communities for burial Twenty-two funerals have been heldsofar

PM Phillips said the effort would continue “as long as necessary to ensure that every possible effort is made to account for those affected, with the utmost care,dignity,andrespect.”

Diving teams also cut away tarpaulins and debris around the hull to improve access, work Phillips described as serving two purposes: continuing the search and laying groundwork for a possible attempt to right the vessel

“The water is not only murky, but muddy,” he said, noting visibility remains a major obstacle andthatspecialistswilljudgewhen conditionsallowfurtherdiving.No additional bodies were spotted during Friday’s dives, but officials cautioned that righting the vessel “mayleadtousfindingsomemore bodies ” Several vessels are standingbynearthewreckforthat nextphase,thoughPhillipsstressed noattempttomovetheferryhasyet beenmade.

Questioned about passenger counts, Phillips reminded that people had boarded the ferry without appearing on its manifest. Using boarding-area surveillance footage, authorities settled on a working total of 179 people: 76 rescued and 73 recovered so far, with the remainder still being reconciled. Officials say identified victimswillcontinuetobeaddedto the public list as confirmations comein.

Tombs have been built at Mabaruma and White Water for victims, including Venezuelan

nationals, and PM Phillips maintainedthatallburialsarebeing carried out “in keeping with the family’swishes”andinaccordance with religious requirements. That account is contested: Venezuelan relativessaysomefamilymembers were buried in earthen graves againsttheirexplicitwishes.

Built in 1938, the MV Barima was used in the Georgetown-toPort Kaituma route because the newer MV Ma Lisha could not be accommodated there The Prime Ministersaidthewharfupgradesat Port Kaituma meant to handle the Ma Lisha are behind schedule, so thatvesselcontinuestosailonlyto Kumaka. Pressed on whether the construction delay contributed to the deaths, PM Phillips conceded: “Thedelayhascontributedtousnot beingabletousetheMVMaLisha tojourneyfromGeorgetowntoPort Kaituma.”

Separately, MARAD Director General Captain Stephen Thomas couldnotexplainwhenorwhythe Barima’s certified capacity changed from its original 1938 ratingof120tonsofcargoand150 passengers, saying only, “I don’t have that information.” The PM notedthatMARADisaregulatory body distinct from the Transport and Harbours Department, which operatestheferriesthemselves.

Asked whether safety enforcement had lagged compared with past disasters such as the Mahdia dormitory fire, Phillips said breaches are corrected once identified and that a forthcoming i n q u i r y w o u l d y i e l d recommendations the government intendstoacton.

“Enforcingsafetyregulationsis always a priority because, as the name implies, it brings some level of confidence and reassurance to the people who are using the facility,” Phillips said “Very important,whenthere’sanybreach ordeviationfromregulations,once it comes to our knowledge we are committed to correcting those

breaches to taking corrective action. The inquiry coming out of thisunfortunateincidentobviously will not only report but offer recommendations,andIcanassure you that we will utilize those recommendationsandseektomake service better from a standpoint of safety.”

Regardingspecialisedmaritime support, PM Phillips confirmed that the Kalliope N was deployed into the operational area as a platform to support search and recovery efforts and has since returnedtoGeorgetown.

He confirmed Cabinet did not meet formally this week because ministers were occupied with search, recovery, and funeral supportacrossthecountry,andsaid an independent Commission of Inquirywillbeestablishedoncethe activerecoveryphasewindsdown, with terms of reference and panel members still being finalised. No foreign nationals have been officially confirmed among the dead, though authorities are checking the residency status of Spanish-speakingvictims.

On calls for Public Works Minister Juan Edghill to resign, Phillipssaidthedecisionrestswith President Dr Irfaan Ali, not with him: “I am tasked with prime ministerial duties… That decision lies with Minister Edghill and the PresidentofGuyana.”

Herejectedattemptstoreframe the political question around personalfaith,emphasisingthatthe situation must be kept strictly withintheframeworkofanational searchandrecoveryoperation.

PM Phillips also pushed back on reports that the Transport and Harbours Department staff connected to the vessel had been fired, saying they were instead placed on administrative leave pending a formal investigation Police are investigating separately, and crew members who tested positive for prohibited substances havebeendetained.

Chapter4: The Bell That Called the Breeze

Thesilverbellrestedonthewoodentable inside the treehouse beside Emily's notebook She stared at it thoughtfully, wondering why nothing had happened after they discovered it. They had found the bell, uncovered the old note, and followed the instructionsleftbehindbythemysteryclub, but the bell had only made a simple ringing sound each time they touched it. “We found thebellandtheclue,”Emilysaid.“Sowhydo Ifeellikewearestillmissingsomething?”

Jack picked up the bell and examined it carefully “Maybe it only works on special days.”Emilysmiled.“Andtodayisnotoneof them?”“Exactly.”

Emilyopenedtheoldnoteagainandread the message: Take care of the woods, help where you can, and ring this bell when the club is ready for what comes next. She was sure the answer was hidden somewhere, but she could not figure out what they were supposedtonotice.

Suddenly, a cool breeze moved through the treehouse window The leaves outside rustled softly, and the silver bell rang by itself.Ting.EmilyandJackfroze.

“Youdidn'ttouchit,”Jacksaid.“Neither didyou,”Emilyreplied.

Another breeze passed through the branches,andthebellrangagain.Ting.

Emily grabbed her notebook. “The wind ismakingthebellring.Ithinkitisshowingus where to go.” They carried the bell into Whisper Woods and followed the sound through the trees Each time the breeze movedthroughtheforest,thebellresponded. When they reached a fork in the path, they waitedforanotherclue.

A gentle gust passed by Ting. The bell rang

Share

Jack smiled. “Looks like it agrees withme.”

Emily laughed. “Or maybe it just knowswhereweneedtogo.”

They followed the path until they reached a clearing surrounded by tall pine trees. The bell became silent, and Emily began searching the area for anotherclue.Nearapatchofgrass,she discoveredasmallpieceofblueribbon lyinginthedirt.“Jack,lookatthis.”He examined it carefully “Something was attachedtoit.”

DIY

Felt Spider-Man Mask

Materials

Spider-Man mask template (printed to yourheaddimensions)

They searched the clearing and foundanotherpieceofribboncaughton a bush. Jack also noticed a branch that looked like something had pulled against it. Then he found a blue sock hanging from a nearby branch. Emily laughed.“Thatisnotpartofakite.”“Good,” Jack said. “Because I was starting to worry thekitehadstrangefashionchoices.”

Beforetheycouldcontinuesearching,the wind rushed through the pine trees above them.Thebellranglouderthanbefore.Ting. Ting. Ting. Emily looked upward and saw something bright moving between the branches.“There!”

Highinthetallestpinetreewasayellow kitewithblueribbonsflutteringinthewind. Each time the breeze moved it, the kite tapped against a branch, creating the same soundasthebell.

“The bell wasn't making the sound,” Emilyrealized.“Itwasleadingustoit.”

Jack nodded. “The old club must have usedthebelltofindthingsthatneededhelp.”

They returned to the treehouse and brought back a rope and a long branch. Instead of climbing the tree, they carefully workedtogethertohookthebranchabovethe kite.After a few attempts, they managed to pullitloose,andthekitefloatedsafelytothe ground Emily turned the kite over and noticedanamewrittenonthewoodenframe.

“Sam,” she said Jack recognized it immediately “Sam from Maple Street. His grandmother makes the ribbon tails for his kites.”Theyknewtheyhadfoundtheowner, but before returning it, Emily noticed something strange. A small piece of paper washiddenbeneathanoldstripoftapeinside the kite frame. She carefully removed it and unfoldedthenote.Ifyoufoundthebell,you are following the right trail Below the messagewasthefamiliaracornsymbol.

by Uncle Roy

Then came another clue: The bridge remembers what the tree forgot. Jack stared at the words. “I understand the words, but I have no idea what theymean.”

your feelings

There are often times in our lives

When some things don't feel so good, Because either we did not do what's right, Or others did not act as they should.

At these times when we become sad, And life does not seem right, We must see that the thing to do Is to share what we feel inside.

The people who can help with your feelings Are your parents first of all; Then, too, your priest and your teacher Should be able to answer your call.

So try not to keep things inside, Be open to those you can trust; Making them understand how you feel Will keep your life happy and precious.

1 sheet of red A4 felt (makes up to 2 masks)

Smallpieceofblackfelt

Blackandredthread

Blackelastic

Scissors

Needle(orsewingmachine)

Permanent marker (optional, instead of sewingweblines)

Step1:PrintandCuttheTemplate PrintSpider-Manmasktemplate.Cutout alltemplatepieces.

Step2:ModifytheEyePieces.Placethe eyetemplateonblackfelt.Tracearoundeach eyeopening.Drawanadditional1cmborder around each eye. Cut out the black eye surrounds.

Step3:CuttheFelt.Cutthemainmask pieces from the red felt. Cut the black eye bordersfromtheblackfelt.

Step 4: Sew the Web Pattern Choose onemethod:Handsewalltheweblinesusing black thread (most time-consuming) or Machinesewtheweblinesforafasterresult or Draw the web lines with a black

permanentmarkerforthequickestoption.

Step 5: Attach the Eye Borders. Positiontheblackfelteyesurroundsaround theeyeopenings.Sewthemsecurelyontothe frontofthemask.

Step6:AddaBackLayer.Cutasecond mask piece from red felt to use as the backing.Placeitbehindthefrontmask.This stiffens the mask and hides the stitching on theback.

Step7:SewtheMaskTogetherBlanket stitcharoundtheentireedgeusingmatching thread.Leavetheeyeopeningsuncovered.

Step8:AddtheElastic.Measureapiece ofblackelasticaroundthewearer'sheadfora comfortable fit. Trim the elastic to length. Sew each end securely to the sides of the mask.

Step 9: Final Check. Trim any loose threads. Check that the eye openings are comfortable.

Try the mask on and adjust the elastic if needed.You'redone,Spidey!

Emily placed the note safely insidehernotebook.“Thatmeans itisournextmystery.”

Later that afternoon, they returnedthekitetoSam,whowas excitedtohaveitback.Emilyand Jack decided not to mention the hiddennoteyet.Someclueswere meant to stay secret until they understood them Back at the treehouse, Emily recorded everything they had discovered. The bell had led them to the missing kite, and the kite had revealed another message from theoldmysteryclub.Outside,the breeze moved through Whisper Woods, and the silver bell gave onequietring.

Ting.Emilylookedtowardthe forest.“Stonebridgetomorrow?” Jack asked Emily closed her notebookandsmiled. “Stonebridgetomorrow.”

Ice Cream M a z e

We hope you are now reaping the benefits of trying to maintain healthy relationships with your family and close friends. Here are some other ways by which you can effect this continuously:

Express yourself to your parents, brothers and sisters, a friend, someone you trust, especially when your emotionsseemoutofbalance.

Whenthingsarenotgoingtoowell in your life, especially at these times whenyouractivitiesareaffectedbythe presentdifficultsituation,tellingothers whom you trust can help to solve your problems and set you on even keel again. Psychologists have found that by merely speaking sincerely to others aboutourfeelingswecanfindanswers forourselves.

Pay attention and act according to your conscience. Everyone has the quality to know what is right from wrong, as we were all born with thi

Develop Healthy Relationships at Home

s. Take care to always be in the right whendealingwithothers,andthiswill serve to benefit all involved in any situation.

On the other hand, when we stifle our conscience and do something that weknowiswrongjusttogettheupper hand over someone else, it always reboundstoourdisadvantage.

When you are sincere about maintaining your relationships,any effort in this direction will be sure to help in its development.

Ask for help when you feel something is above you. None of us knowseverything,andit will always benefit us and lead us into the solution of any problem when we search for someone who is in a position to help us. Do

not be shy about asking, as the people who have the knowledge to help you will certainly appreciate your asking, andreactaccordingly

Having fun together, praying togetherandeatingtogetherwillalways work to cement proper relationships amonganygroup.

This will include singing together, playing games, especially those that include a number to persons, and movingaroundtoplacesthatyouenjoy, like parks and trails, and sailing in a boat, especially if this can accommodateyourwholegroup.

Workontheseactivitiesinthenext week,andlookforwardforothersinour nextissue.

BUILD A BOX OF

Friendship

by Chuck Pool

Into a box of friendship, To ensure that it is strong, First a layer of respect On the bottom does belong

Then to the sides attach, In the corners where they meet, Several anchors full of trust, Devoid of all deceit.

The height of friendship can be measured By the sides of four, So make them all a larger cut, And the box will hold much more

Now fill it up with courtesy, Honour and esteem, Understanding, empathy, And passion for a dream.

Add to that your honesty, Emotions joy and love, And since they are so important, Place them up above

"Each puzzle is divided into 10 different regions. Each region,row and column contains exactly two stars. Stars may not be adjacent to each other (not evendiagonally)."

But leave the box wide open So all can see inside, To learn what makes a friendship work From the box you built with pride

Solutions to last week’s

MindYour Business

Born Into a Story

How Family, Culture, and Society Begin Shaping Us Before We Can Speak

By Dr. Eon Andre George, PhD, EdD Series: Behind the Behaviour

Longbeforewelearnour first word, someone has already begun writing our story.Beforewedecidewhat we believe, someone has already taught us what is right and wrong. Before we choose our favourite foods, our style of dress, our political opinions, our religious beliefs, or even how we should greet an

elder, much of the foundation has already been laid. We arrive in the world believing we are blank slates,yetfromourveryfirst breath we enter a family, a community, and a culture that quietly begin shaping thewayweseeourselvesand theworldaroundus.

Mostpeopleliketothink they have independently chosen the person they have become. In reality, many of our earliest beliefs, habits, fears, expectations, and ambitions were inherited longbeforewewerecapable of questioning them We were, in many ways, born intoastorythatsomeoneelse hadalreadystartedwriting. TheFirst ClassroomIsHome

The first lessons in life are rarely taught inside a classroom. They begin long beforeachildeverputsona school uniform They are learned while sitting quietly listening to adults talk after dinner, accompanying a parent to the market, greeting every older person on the street because saying “goodmorning”isexpected, attending church with grandparents every weekend, or hearing conversationsontheveranda long after children are supposedlyasleep.

Long before children understand words like integrity, prejudice, ambition,orrespect,theyare already learning what those words look like in everyday life.Achild notices whether disagreements end with conversation or shouting They observe whether money is discussed with hopeorconstantworry They learn whether strangers are welcomedwarmlyortreated with suspicion. They notice whethereducationisspoken about as the pathway to opportunity or whether survival takes priority over long-termplanning.

Manychildrenalsogrow upwatchingparents,uncles, aunts,oroldersiblingsleave “to go foreign” in search of better opportunities Some are raised by grandparents whileparentsworkoverseas.

Others grow up with relatives who become second parents. These experiences quietly teach lessons about sacrifice, separation, resilience, and responsibility long before childrenhavethevocabulary todescribethoseemotions.

Psychologist Albert Bandura explained this

where everyone hugs, affection feels normal If another grows up where emotions a

l distance feels normal. If everydisagreementissettled by shouting, shouting becomes normal. If education is highly valued, studyingbecomesnormal.If nobody discusses mental health, silence becomes normal. Our understanding of what is “normal” is usually less about objective

experience.

remarkablysimilar Families become our first teachers, communities become our first mirrors, and culture quietly becomes our first language.

AFamiliarStory

Imagine two boys growing up only a few villages apart. Both attend government schools Both play cricket after classes, stopbythevillageshopfora snack,anddreamaboutwhat they want to become. Both are equally intelligent. Yet when theyreturnhomeeach afternoon, they enter two

through Social Learning Theory, one of the most influential theories in psychology Bandura demonstrated that human beingslearnnotonlythrough direct instruction but, more importantly, through observation Children become careful students of everyday life. They imitate what they repeatedly see becausethepeopleclosestto them become their first examples of how life is supposedtowork.

This helps explain why children often sound like theirparentslongbeforethey realize it. They laugh at the samethings,reacttostressin similarways,repeatfamiliar sayings, and sometimes develop the very habits they once promised themselves they would never have Whether those habits are healthy or unhealthy, the learning process is remarkablypowerful.

ThePowerof“Normal”

One of the most influential words in human psychology is normal. The interesting thing about normal is that it is rarely questioned.Peoplegenerally assume that whatever they experience repeatedly must simplybethewaylifeis.Ifa child grows up in a home

This idea is closely related to what French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu called Habitus Bourdieu argued that every society quietly teaches its members howtothink,behave,speak, andevenwhattoexpectfrom life. These lessons become sodeeplyingrainedthatthey no longer feel learned; they simplyfeelnatural.

That is why two people raised only a few streets apart can enter adulthood with completely different beliefs about relationships, money, discipline, politics, religion, or success They were not simply born into different houses They were born into dif

ent psychological environments Understanding this does not r e m o v e p e r s o n a l responsibility Rather, it reminds us that changing behaviour often requires changing patterns that have been reinforced since childhood.

Whether we grow up in G e o r g e t o w n , N e w Amster

, L

them, San Fernando, Chaguanas, Bridgetown, Kingston, Castries, or any other Caribbean community, the details may change, but the psychology remains

influencedhoweachcameto seehimselfandhisfuture.

TheInvisibleInheritance

Whenpeoplethinkabout inheritance, they usually think about land, jewellery, houses, or money Yet some

inheritances cannot be touched.Familiespassdown ways of thinking. They pass down attitudes toward

consider new perspectives. Growth begins the moment w e r e a l i s e t h a t understanding another perspective does not require abandoningourown.

WritingtheNextChapter

very different psychological worlds.

In one home, books fill the shelves Parents regularly ask about homework and remind their son that education is something nobody can ever take away There is talk a b o u t u n i v e r s i t y, scholarships, and becoming a doctor, engineer, teacher, or entrepreneur When he struggles, someone sits beside him and encourages himtokeeptrying.

In the other home, life revolves around making ends meet Conversations focusonpayingbills,finding work, stretching every dollar, and helping the family get through another week. School is important, but survival is urgent Sometimes one parent is overseas sending money home. Sometimes the oldest child must care for younger siblings before homework can even begin Twenty years later, people may look at these two men and conclude that one simply workedharderthantheother Psychology asks a different question What stories were each of them born into? Neither child chose the environment that shaped his earliest beliefs

y, success, religion, marriage, politics, and emotional expression Some families inherit optimism Others inherit suspicion Some inherit resilience Others inheritsilence. Sometimes these lessons are spoken openly More oftentheyarecommunicated through everyday behaviour untiltheybecomesofamiliar that nobody notices them anymore.Thatiswhypeople often say, “That’s just how our family is,” without realising they are describing patternsthatmayhavebegun generationsearlier Thegood news is that inherited patterns are not permanent destinies Once people become aware of them, they gainthefreedomtoexamine which traditions deserve to be preserved and which deservetoberewritten.

TheWorldGetsBigger

As children grow, new influences begin competing with the family Teachers introduce different ideas Friends challenge family beliefs. Social media opens windows into cultures and lifestyles that previous generations could scarcely imagine Universities, workplaces, migration, and travel expose people to entirely different ways of thinking.

Some individuals embrace these experiences with curiosity Others resist them because unfamiliar ideas feel threatening. Often the difference has less to do with intelligence than with psychologicalflexibility,the willingnesstoquestionlongheld assumptions while remaining secure enough to

One of the most encouraging discoveries in psychologyisthatwhileour beginnings influence us, theydonotimprisonus. The family we were born into shapes us. The community wegrewupinshapesus.The culture surrounding us shapesus.Butnoneofthese completely determines who wemustbecome.

The stories we inherit explain many of our behaviours, but they do not have to dictate our future. The moment we become aware of the stories that shaped us, we also gain the ability to examine them Some are worth preserving because they have given us resilience, compassion, discipline, and purpose Others deserve to be questioned because they maynolongerserveusorthe generations that follow. Perhapsthegreatestfreedom anypersoncanexperienceis realisingthatwhiletheymay have been born into a story, they also have the power to write the chapters that come next.

UnderstandingBehaviour ThroughContext

Every child enters the world with enormous potential, but none enters it untouched by influence Before we develop our own opinions,weinheritthoseof others. Before we create our own traditions, we are shaped by traditions already in place. Understanding this helps us become less judgmental of others and more reflective about ourselves Because in the end,everylifebeginswithan inheritance. The question is not whether we inherited a story The question is what wechoosetodowithit. Every behaviour has a beginning.

Every habit has a history.

Everyfuturebeginswith the courage to write a better nextchapter.

ScenesfromfuneralsheldatPortKaituma,

RegionOneonSaturday

GrievingmothercallsonGovt.tosubsidiseairfares...

Frompage11 family was a 13-year-old girl

During the chaos, Josmary remembered instructions her father had once given her about helping someoneinthewaterwithoutbeing draggeddownherself

“My little daughter started telling me, ‘Mommy, you know I havetosavethe13-year-oldgirl?’” Deally recounted “She said people were mashing her down, but she pushed up She make signs to the girl, caught her hand, went down after she took some breaths, and pushedherbackup,overandover, until they found an ice pitcher to holdonto.”

When mother and daughter

finally navigated the rough current to reach each other, the little girl turned to her mother in the dark

“Sheswimover,andwhenshecome over,shesaid,‘Mommy,letmepray Mommy,letmepray’Andwe start praying. We start praying, asking Godformercy,tosendrescue.”For nearlysevenhours,thegroupclung to the ice chest, their skin bruised and raw from the metal edges as cold water battered their faces and enteredtheirnosesandears.Young Josmary offered her own small hands to support her mother

wheneverDeallygrewexhausted.

Around 5:00AM, a rescue boat finallyspottedtheminthewaterand pulledthemaboard

Theweightoflossand thepathforward

While Josmary, Deally, and the 13-year-old were rescued, 16-yearold Andriel did not make it home alive “I knew that my son wasn’t deadthatday,Ikepttellingthemgo out and search, go out and search, plenty people still alive out there,” Deallysaidsoftly “Youweary,you wait, wait, wait, and rescue never reach.”

DeallyrememberedAndrielasa

deeplyaffectionate,helpfulboywho wasadoredbyhisentirefamilyand community “When he come home fromschoolandIwasinthekitchen, hewouldjustcomeandhugmeup, kissmeup Everyminutehewould stand up in front of the mirror, fixinghishair Hewasaverykind, goodperson.”

PresidentIrfaanAlihadpledged anddeliveredonthepromisethatthe government would cover all burial andtombexpensesforAndriel,and officersfromtheMinistryofHuman Services have begun providing ongoing trauma counseling to the survivingfamilymembers.

WhileDeallyacknowledgesthe government’s support during their bereavement, her focus remains fixed on ensuring that no other family in Region One suffers a similarfate Shecontinuestocallon thePresidenttoimplementsystemic changes: dedicated passenger air options and stricter maritime safeguards.

“The sea is not easy,” Deally said “From since you meet out the Kaituma mouth and reach the sea, it’s bare rocking until you reach whereyougoing Theexperienceis horrible We need an air service so peoplecantravelsecure”

Pres.Alitounveil5-memberInt’lCOI todaytoprobeMVBarimadisaster

...says inquiry will assess vessel seaworthiness, institutional failures and recommend reforms

...Opposition shut out, calls for livestreaming of full inquiry, separate technical marine safety investigation

President IrfaanAli is expected to announce the five-member Commission to probe the circumstances surrounding the capsizing of the vessel.

President Irfaan Ali is expected to announceafive-membercommissiontoday thatwillprobetheJuly18capsizingofthe MV Barima ferry that has so far claimed the lives of 73 persons with families still hopingtolocatelovedones.

In a statement on Saturday afternoon, theHeadofStatesaidthecommissionwill benamedinkeepingwithhiscommitment to establish an “international and independent” commission of inquiry, into the circumstances surrounding the capsizing of the vessel and interrelated issues.

Ali assured that the commission will comprise distinguished experts and professionals with extensive knowledge andexperienceinrelevantfields,including law, marine engineering, maritime safety anddisasterinvestigation.

He said, “The members have been carefully selected for their independence, technicalexpertise,andprovenability”

The sunken 87-year-old MV Barima

The President noted that the Commission will be responsible for determining its procedures and method of work

To this end, the five-member team is expectedtocarryoutathorough,impartial examination of this tragedy. Ali said the Commissionwillassessthecircumstances leadingtothecapsizing,andsinkingofthe vessel,theresponseefforts,andallrelated matters.“Itsworkwillseektoidentifyany shortcomings or failures, recommend appropriate accountability where warranted, and propose reforms that will strengthen his safety and reliability of Guyana’s maritime transportation system,”thePresidentsaid.

The Commission will examine the issues such as the loading of the vessel; passenger boarding procedures; conditions on board; the vessel seaworthiness; maintenance history; compliance with maritime laws and safety standards; the

conductandcompetenceofthemasterand crew; passenger management and lifesaving arrangements, as well as a role of weather, sea conditions, and other operationalfactors.

PresidentAlinotedthattheCommission will also undertake a review of the search, rescue and recovery operations, assessing the adequacy, coordination, and effectiveness of the response by all agenciesandstakeholdersinvolved.

The President made it clear the Commission will be empowered to determine whether any acts of negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty, or institutional failures contributed to or caused this tragedy. It will also recommend any legislative, regulatory, institutional, or operational reforms necessarytopreventarecurrence.

HeurgedGuyanesetocontinuetokeep thefamiliesofvictimsandsurvivorsintheir

Continued on page 40

APNUquestionssafetyof...

Frompage10

the rehabilitation contract awarded? Was the work completed? Was it inspected and accepted? If not, whoauthorisedthevesseltocontinueoperating?Did the engineers determine that the vessel was seaworthy, or was that decision made by someone else?”

Meanwhile,APNUurgedthatMinisterofPublic Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar accept responsibilityashisportfolioincludestheMaritime Administration Department (MARAD) which is responsible for maritime inspection and safety enforcement.

HewasadamantthatMARADcannotbeallowed to investigate its own regulatory conduct without independent oversight as the party called for an independent probe, supported by qualified external maritime investigators, naval architects, marine engineersandaccident-reconstructionspecialists.

Andrews insisted that the investigation must examine the actions and omissions of theTransport and Harbours Department, MARAD, the vessel management, crew and the ministers responsible. The inquiry, he said, must also examine the events afterthevesselexperienceddifficulties.

He explained, “Reports indicate that the initial distress signal was received by the Timehri Air Traffic Control Tower If that is correct, several questions arise Was there any two-way communication with the vessel after its distress signal was received? Who coordinated the rescue operation? What rescue assets were deployed immediately? Why did it reportedly take approximately three and a half hours before an effective rescue response reached the vessel?These questions go directly to the adequacy of Guyana’s maritimeemergencyresponsesystem.”

APNU stated that every passenger record, ticketing document, cargo manifest, surveillance recording, maintenance file, dry-docking report, inspection certificate, crew-testing result, radio communication and emergency-response log must beimmediatelypreserved.

The party has called for the publication of the vessel’s complete inspection, seaworthiness, maintenance and certification records; full disclosureoftheactualpassengerandcargo-loading arrangements; continuous financial, medical, psychological and funeral support for affected families and immediate reforms to passenger ticketing, manifests, cargo weighing, crew testing and maritime inspection, in keeping with best practices.

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No new development in search and recovery operations

ByKhadidjaBa

Heavygriefblanketedthe communityofPortKaitumain Region One as families gathered to lay to rest two young brothers, six-year-old Omarius and eight-year-old OrwinEurope,amongthelatestvictimsoftheMVBarima capsizing.

The brothers, students of the Port Kaituma Primary School, were aboard the agingvesselwhenitoverturned on July 18. Classmates stood alongside heartbroken relatives, weeping openly as the

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two small caskets were lowered into a shared grave.

Speaking at the funeral, Minister of Amerindian AffairsSarahBrownestruggled tocontainheremotionasshe addressed the grieving family

“There is nothing that I can say at this point that can bring them back,” Browne said.“Asamother,Ifeelyour pain…Ipraythatyoufindthe strength to move forward fromthis.Idon’tknowhowa mother can.”

In a separate service in PortKaituma,lovedonespaid tribute to Maryann Bernard, another victim of the disaster, remembered warmly by neighbors and friends. Browne told mourners that she hoped the government could “put systems in place so this doesn’t happen again.”

Construction crews in nearbyMabarumaandWhite Water continue building tombs as bodies are returned totheirhomecommunities.Of the 73 bodies recovered, 69 have been positively identifiedand63releasedtogrieving relatives, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark

Phillips said at a press conferenceonJuly24.Morethan thirty funerals have taken placeacrosstheregionsofar

Authorities confirmed therewouldbenopressbriefing Saturday evening, as search and recovery efforts had yielded no new developments since Friday

Search operation widens, yields no new bodies

PhillipsconfirmedFriday that 17 state assets, three aircraftand14maritimevessels, remain active across a search grid expanded by 32 square miles, stretching west to Waini Point and east to Adventure.

Divers completed five dives on Friday in zero-visibility,muddywaters,cutting through tarpaulins and hull debris to prepare for a possible righting of the vessel. Noadditionalbodieswererecovered.

“The water is not only murky, but muddy,” Phillips said, warning that although no bodies were spotted Friday, righting the wreck “may lead to us finding some more bodies.”

Authorities have built a working manifest of 179

people aboard using surveillancefootagefromtheboarding area, accounting for 76 survivors and 73 confirmed dead,withtheremainingfigures still being reconciled. Commission of Inquiry drawspoliticalbacklash

While families mourn, a bitter political dispute has erupted in Georgetown over President Irfaan Ali’s announcementofaCommission of Inquiry. PresidentAli said the panel would include distinguished experts in law, marineengineering,maritime safetyanddisasterinvestigation. The announcement, however, drew immediate criticismfromtheopposition parties over the lack of prior consultation.

“Given the magnitude of thisnationaltragedy,Iamdisappointed that neither I, as LeaderoftheOpposition,nor anyparliamentaryopposition party was consulted in the establishmentoftheCommission,” the Leader of the Opposition said. “In an effort to build national confidence, this should have been an inclusive and transparent process.”

Continued on page 41

Pres.Alitounveil5-memberInt’lCOI...

From page 39 prayers as they navigate this difficult period. NO CONSULTATION WITH OPPOSITION

Meanwhile,theLeaderoftheOpposition, Azruddin Mohamed expressed disappointmentwiththeannouncementbythePresident which he said was made without any consultationwithoppositionMembersofParliament (MPs).Mohamedsaid,“Giventhemagnitude ofthisnationaltragedy,Iamdisappointedthat neitherI,asLeaderoftheOpposition,norany parliamentaryoppositionpartywasconsulted intheestablishmentoftheCommission.Inan efforttobuildnationalconfidence,thisshould have been an inclusive and transparent process.”

He urged that if the government was serious about ensuring a truly independent investigation, then Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and Minister of Public Utilities andAviation, Deodat Indar, whose ministries have responsibility for MARAD and the Transport and Harbours Department (THD), shouldberecusedfromanyinvolvementwhile the inquiry is ongoing. In fact, the Leader insisted that the two ministers should be required to appear before the Commission and answer all relevant questions.

Furthermore, the leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party pointed out that reports for previous COIs have been hidden from the public, which he hopes does not reoccurinthismatter.Mohamedexpressedhope thattheCommissionwouldfunctionindependently and conduct its work transparently, withthefullinquirybeinglivestreamedgiven its national and international impact. Additionally, he made it clear that the full final report must be released to the public.

The Opposition Leader also suggested thatasamemberoftheInternationalMaritime Organization(IMO),Guyanashouldseekthe involvementofappropriateinternationalmaritime experts and institutions to support this investigation.

PARLIAMENTARY INVOLVEMENT Meanwhile,inaseparatestatement,theA

Partnership for National Unity (APNU) expressed concern that the President did not sendMinistersEdghillandIndaronadministrative leave, pending the outcome of the inquiry.

Thepartysaid,“Inanymaturedemocracy, publicofficialswithministerialresponsibility for a sector in which such a catastrophic failure has occurred would step aside to ensure publicconfidenceintheinvestigativeprocess. Theircontinuedpresenceinofficeraisesserious concerns about independence, transparency, and accountability.”

Of equal concern to APNU was the fact thatPresidentAlididnotconsultwiththeParliamentary Opposition despite the group represents a substantial portion of Guyanese. It saidreportsindicatethattheCommissionwas selected solely by the Head of State, contrary to widespread calls from civil society and the opposition for an inclusive process.

To this end, the party made it clear that a COI can only enjoy public confidence if it is genuinely independent and visibly free from politicalinfluence.Assuch,itnotedthat“excluding the opposition from the process undermines that confidence from the outset and creates the unfortunate perception that this exerciseisdesignedtomanagepublicoutrage rather than establish the full truth.”

APNU argued that the families of those who lost loved ones as well survivors and the nation deserves answers instead of a process that seems predetermined or carefully controlledbytheveryadministrationwhoseagencies are now under scrutiny

The party therefore reiterated its call for Edghill and Indar to be sent home pending theconclusionoftheinvestigation;meaningful consultation with the opposition on the commissionmembersandtermsofreference, a transparent investigation with full public disclosure of all relevant documents, maintenance records, inspection reports, and communicationsrelatingtotheMVBarima.

APNU also demanded full accountability regardless of political office or status.

Opposition parties cite lack of consultation in President’s COI of MV Barima tragedy

…want IMO investigation conducted alongside COI

Opposition parties, We InvestinNationhood(WIN), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), the Alliance For Change (AFC), and the Vigilant Political Action Committee (VPAC), on Saturday eveninghighlightedthelack of consultation by the government of Guyana with theparliamentaryopposition

i n e s t a b l i s h i n g a Commission of Inquiry into the tragic MV Barima boat incident.

The capsizing of the vesseloneweekagoresulted in the death of at least 73 persons while 76 persons survived the horrific maritimedisaster

The opposition parties acknowledged the announcement by President IrfaanAlionSaturdaythata five-member independent body will be announced on

Sunday to assess the circumstances surrounding theincident.

WIN,APNU,FGM,AFC and VPAC all however e x p r e s s e d “ d e e p disappointment” in the lack of consultation with the parliamentary opposition or oth

stakeholders regarding the compos

he Commission.

In a joint statement, the parties said, “A tragedy of this magnitude demands a process th

confidence across the

ve consultation would have strengthened the credibility andlegitimacyoftheinquiry fromitsinception.”

Further, the group noted t

d

immediately before the NationalAssembly is due to

No new development...

Frompage40

AjointoppositionstatementissuedbyWIN,APNU,FGM, AFC and VPAC welcomed the inquiry in principle but criticiseditstiming,notingitwasannouncedshortlybefore Parliamentwasscheduledtodebateoppositionmotionson thedisaster

The coalition demanded a separate technical marine safety investigation under the International Maritime Organization’s Casualty Investigation Code and SOLAS standards, arguing that a political Commission of Inquiry cannot substitute for specialised technical analysis. It also called for expanding the Commission’s mandate to scrutinise ministerial oversight, guaranteeing the impartialityoftheCommission’sSecretary,anddemanding the immediate resignation or leave of absence of Public WorksMinistersJuanEdghillandDeodatIndar

PMPhillipshasrepeatedlydismissedcallsforEdghill’s resignation,sayingministerialappointmentsremainstrictly withinPresidentAli’spurview

Questionsmountoverthevesselanditsoversight

The MV Barima, built in 1938, was deployed on the Georgetown–PortKaitumaroutebecausethenewerMVMa Lisha cannot dock at Port Kaituma due to delayed wharf upgrades. Pressed on whether that delay contributed to the disaster, the Prime Minister conceded it had directly preventedthegovernmentfromdeployingtheMaLishaon therouteinstead.

MaritimeAdministration Department Director General Captain Stephen Thomas was unable to explain when or whytheBarima’scertifiedcapacityhadbeenmodifiedfrom its original 1938 rating of 120 tons of cargo and 150 passengers, saying only that he did not have that information.

Controversy has also surrounded the burial of several victims, including Venezuelan nationals. PM Phillips maintainedthatallburialshavefollowedfamilywishesand religious customs, but some Venezuelan relatives have publicly disputed this, alleging that family members were buriedinearthengravesagainsttheirexplicitrequests.

Police investigations remain ongoing. Crew members who tested positive for prohibited substances have been detained, while Transport and Harbours Department staff connectedtothevesselhavebeenplacedonadministrative leave.

debate opposition motions on the MV Barima tragedy onMonday

Commission cannot replace Parliament's constitutional responsibility to examine

executive's obligation to answer to the people's electedrepresentatives. Further, they argued that theCommissionofInquiryis not a substitute for an independent marine safety investigation conducted in a c c o r d a

internationally recognized standards As such, the

parties suggested, “As a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Guyana should undertakeatechnicalmarine casualty investigation consist

he InternationalConventionfor the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS),theIMOCasualty Investigation Code, and the

IMO Model Regulations on DomesticFerrySafety.”

They argued that a CommissionofInquiryanda marine safety investigation s

complementary purposes While the Commission

governance,public

Continued on page 42

GHRA demands Parliament-led COI into MV Barima sinking

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) on Saturday raised concerns over President Irfaan Ali’s plan to unilaterally namethemembershipoftheCommissionof Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima disaster, warning that a body appointed solely by the executive cannot be seen as impartial by a public still grieving one of the country’s worstpeacetimetragedies.

The concerns followed President Irfaan AlistatingonSaturdaythathewillannounce themembersofaCOIonSunday In a statement issued by its Executive Committee, the GHRA said the announcement “was not unexpected” and confirmed fears that the inquiry could become“anotherinstanceofinstitutionalized politicaldebauchery,”withthoseresponsible for the disaster effectively controlling the narrative around their own failures. The organisation stressed that no matter how qualified the nominees, appointment by the veryauthoritieswiththemosttolosefroman impartial probe undermines public confidencefromtheoutset.

The MV Barima capsized on July 18 while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma; more than 70 bodies have since been recovered, and the government has describeditasthedeadliestmaritimedisaster in the country’s history Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips has said an independentcommissionwillinvestigatethe circumstances,includingdiscrepanciesinthe ferry’s passenger manifest and whether operatingprocedureswerefollowed.

The GHRA outlined three principles it

says are essential to a credible inquiry namely:Apositivedutyofcandourshouldbe imposed on public officials and authorities, compelling them to cooperate and testify truthfully, backed by sanctions including prosecutionandimprisonment.

The GHRA argues that officials who know their decisions will later face full scrutinyarelesslikelytoactrecklessly

“Secondly, the State must provide bereaved families with funded legal representation, in the same way as public bodies will benefit from them,” GHRAsaid whilenotingthat

The human rights body said that state shouldfundindependentlegalrepresentation forbereavedfamilies,placingthemonmore equalfootingwiththepublicbodieslikelyto bescrutinisedbytheinquiry.Further,GHRA saidthattheChairoftheCommission,notthe agenciesunderinvestigation,shouldholdthe authority to rule on the admissibility of evidence and on any attempt to invoke “nationalsecurity”toshieldofficialagencies fromdisclosure.

“Noopportunityhasbeenaffordedtodate to the public or any civic organization to discuss these or similar proposals. Those nominated by the President can expect to be questioned as to their position on such matters,” GHRA said while referencing the aftermath of the 2024 death of 11-year-old AdrianneYounge in a hotel swimming pool, whenawidelycriticisedofficialinvestigation triggeredstreetviolence,curfewsandpublic outrageacrossGuyana.

TheGHRAcitedtheepisodeasawarning

ofwhatcanfollowwhenofficialinquiriesare seenascompromised.

In light of this, the GHRA has recommended a seven-member parliamentary commission, with three members appointed by the Government, three by the Leader of the Opposition, and a President with a judicial background, preferably drawn from elsewhere in the Caribbean, endorsed by the other commissioners.

The group also called for clear sanctions for any public official who misleads or obstructstheinquiry,orwhoislessthanfully candidintestimony;publicproceedingsopen tobroadcastmedia,subjecttorulesbalancing fairness with practical considerations and accountability for parliamentarians who endorsewhattheGHRAcalled“anevidently tainted enquiry” into a high number of preventable deaths, which it said could expose them to charges of misconduct in publicoffice.

Callforjointcivic-politicalaction

With the government so far unwilling to adopt a commission format broadly acceptable to parliamentary and civic opinion, the GHRA said Guyanese need to develop peaceful alternative avenues for shapingpolicyontheissue.

Itproposedajointpoliticalandcivicpush urging the Government toward a more acceptable form of COI, though it said the exactmechanicsofsuchaninitiativerequire carefulthought.TheGHRAsaiditisseeking only an agreement in principle to hold joint meetingsonthematter.

The Association added that such civicpoliticalcooperationwouldbemorelikelyto succeed if the parliamentary opposition began operating as a unified bloc under the leadership of the WIN party, moving past what it described as the “discredited and ineffective self-centred posturing” currently hampering effective opposition in Parliament.

Oppositionpartiescitelackof...

Frompage41

administration,andaccountability,amarine safetyinvestigationisaspecializedtechnical

multidisciplinary team that may include accident investigators, master mariners, naval architects, marine engineers, vessel stability experts, human factors specialists, emergency response experts, marine operations specialists, and any other technical experts required by the evidence. Itspurposeistodeterminehowandwhythe casualty occurred, identify safety deficiencies, and recommend measures to preventfuturetragedies.Itisnotintendedto apportion blame or determine civil or criminalliability

Additionally, the joint opposition stated thattheCommission'smandatemustextend beyond operational issues to examine ministerial oversight, regulatory enforcement, administrative decisionmaking, emergency preparedness, resource allocation, and any systemic failures within government that may have contributed to thistragedy

“No office or public official should be beyond scrutiny where the evidence warrants examination,” according to the group. Theyalsoraisedconcernsaboutthe appointment of the Secretary to the Commission of Inquiry, recognising that public confidence depends not only on the

independenceoftheCommissionersbutalso on the integrity and impartiality of the Commission'sadministration.

Thepartiespointedoutthatthesecretary plays a critical role in managing evidence, records, witnesses, and the day-to-day administration of the inquiry and must therefore be free from any actual or perceivedconflictofinterest.

They added, “Simila

y,

he Commission's procedures must encourage, not discourage, public participation. Every person with relevant information should have a fair and unhindered opportunity to provide evidence, and every relevant documentshouldbecapableofbeingplaced beforetheCommission.”

The opposition parties called for a transparent, accessible investigation that inspirespublicconfidence.

The group further recommended, “consistentwiththeprinciplesofministerial accountabilityundertheWestminstersystem of government, we reiterate our call for Minister Juan Edghill and Minister Deodat Indar to resign or, at the very least, proceed on leave pending the completion of the inquiry.”

The parties believe that their continued oversight of ministries whose actions may become the subject of investigation risks undermining public confidence in the independenceoftheprocess.

2026 Exxonmobil GSL T20 tournament...

Shepherd,NabileadWarriorstocome-from-behindwin

All-rounder Romario Shepherdbludgeonedafifty while the veteran MohammadNabiplayedhis role nicely to help the Guyana Amazon Warriors come from way behind to steal an empathic win over the Desert Vipers when actioncontinuedlastnightat Providence.

The Vipers posted 205-6 from their 20 overs batting

first, after an eye-catching half-century from South AfricanRileeRossouw The left-hander led with 61 off 48 (5x4 1x6) which was centered around the Vipers structuring their innings perfectly around the experiencedSouthAfrican.

Vipers were heavily indebted to the pair of West Indian Kyle Mayers who nailed 3 sixes and 3 fours in h

,

Zealand’sBevonJacobswho scored 30 off 17 (1x4 2x6) and gloveman Vriitya Aravind’s11-ball28*(6x4); provided the shot in the arm neededforalatepushbythe DesertVipers.

Warriors, 206-8 in 19.3 overs,hadasuccessfulchase as Shepherd hammered 6 sixesandtwofoursinhis51 off 21 deliveries alongside Nabi, who finished on 40* off 29 (3x4 3x6): as the two piled on 91 for the 8th wicket.

Vipers bowling was carried by their star-studded

Only Warriors skipper ImranTahir(2-37)andNabi (1-25), managed to s o m e w h a t e s c a p e punishment dished out by R o u s s o w a n d t h e middle/lowerordercrew

Sunday July 26, 2026

ARIES(Mar 21–Apr 19)

Get things out in the open today If someone seems to insult you, call them on it

Lettingthingsfesterinsideonly destroys your self-esteem You'd also be in danger of losingtherespectofothers

TAURUS(Apr 20–May20)

Stick to the tried and true today Don'tbeafraidtomake any last-minute changes of plan Compliment others whentheydosomethingwell, and show appreciation for theirpositivequalities.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Reap all the riches that a new day has to offer, Gemini. Every day brings new opportunities and the chance for rapid advancement. Grab thethingsofferedtoyou.You haveagreatdealofpotential.

CANCER(June21–July22)

You may need to adjust today in order to relate well to peopleandsituations,Cancer Thingsareabitoffkilter,and you may find that the harder youtrytofitin,themoreliable youaretofeellikeanoddball.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Be yourself today - 100 percent you.The world needs more individuality Revel in your unique qualities and be generous about sharing them with the world. Feel free to adoptanewandunconventional wayofdoinganything

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Todayisaveryexpansiveday in which you can make great progress in all of your endeavors, Virgo. Be careful of deception by others. There may be a surreal cloud that coversupreality.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Tune into your dreams today, Libra Do you often feel intensely jealous thinking the people around you are living amazing lives while you're stuckinadull,boringroutine?

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

There are extremely slowmoving, subtle energies coming into play today that may not be so easily felt, Scorpio.Whattheyprovideisa key to manifesting your wildestdreams.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

There may be a great deal of conflict in your life today Differentpeopleandsituations seem to be pulling you in all directions.Yoursanityisbeing puttothetest.Trynottobetoo stubborn, because this will only cause more tension betweenyouandthesituation.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Todayyoushouldworktotune into the larger, slower-moving trends in your life, Capricorn. Consider making some longterm monetary and emotional investments.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Let your artistic nature loose today Addatouchofcreativity to whatever project, situation, or person you encounter Let your fantasy world extend to everyaspectofyourbeingand keep an open mind for new ideasandmethods.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Don't gamble away your resources, Pisces. Take the safest route. There's a great deal of energy out there encouraging you to act, but beware of adopting too stubbornofanattitude.

spin unit inWest Indies leftarmer Khary Pierre (2-37), skipper Shadab Khan (3-40) and breakout West Indies young leg-spinner, Vitel Lawes(2-31).

Warriors chase got off to ablisteringstartracingto551 by the 5th over thanks to Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 31 off15(2x43x6)andQuentin Sampson pummeling 35 off 17balls(4x43x6).

PermaulandPeterson...

Frompage49

Republic,commemoratethe100thanniversaryoftheoldest continuously staged regional multi-sport event The spectacular Opening Ceremony at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium featured more than 200 performers, vibrantculturalpresentationsandanimpressivedronelight display celebrating a century of sporting excellence throughouttheregion.

The Guyana Olympic Association congratulates Devin Permaul and Ceili Peterson on the distinction of serving as TeamGuyana'sflagbearersandextendsitsbestwishestoall Guyaneseathletesandofficialsastheyproudlyrepresentthe nationthroughouttheGames.

Warriors would slide from50-oddforthelossofa wicket all the way to 95-7 before Shepherd and Nabi took the score to 186-8 before the former was dismissedatabadtime.

Nabi and Dwaine Pretorius (17*) then kept theircooltoseetheWarriors home, as they will regroup ahead of their second successive match set for tonight against the Lahore Qalandars.(CliftonRoss)

2026/27

Frompage48

GroupAhasGuyana,Puerto Rico, Dominica and the Cayman Islands, while G r o u p B f e a t u r e s Guadeloupe,Bermuda,Saint Lucia and Barbados, Group C has Cuba, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Bonaire and Group D comprises of French Guiana, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, BelizeandSintMaarten. Group Stage matches will be played at centralised venues, a format change introducedinthelastedition toreducetraveldemandsand s u p p o r t M e m b e r Associations in delivering the highest possible standards of competition The matches in September and October will be hosted by the third- and secondhighest-rankedteamsineach group, respectively, with the November matches hosted bythehighest-rankedteams. Following Group Stage play, the four group winners willadvancetotheLeague’s Championship, where they will compete for the title of LeagueBChampions.

Pakistan Tour of the West Indies 2026…

Hodge’s half century highlights opening day of first Test

Kavem Hodge notched up a composed half-century before tea. (AFP/Getty Images)

Kavem Hodge’s fourth Test half-century kept Pakistan at bay through an extended middle session.Atwo-hourraindelaythat forcedanearlylunchandadelayed restart appeared to liven up the pitch,withtheballbeginningtonip andseamforthePakistanbowlers. Mohammad Abbas was most prolific at taking advantage, striking late in the session to trap Amir Jangoo (21) in front, while Aamer Jamal drew Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s(21)outsideedgeto end his vigil at the crease. But Hodge’s half-century balanced the session out for the hosts, who added104morerunstogointotea at127for3.Thedayendedwiththe host on 194 for 3 from 67 overs. Hodgeisunbeatenon83whileShai Hope (39) at the other end continuestogrind.

Despite the extra sideways movement, West Indies were positive from the outset of the

resumption. Hodge hit 14 runs off Abbas’sfirsttworeturnovers,and continuedtopickoffboundariesas the partnership inched past 50. With more encouragement for seam than spin, Babar Azam took Ali Usman off after an over and threw Jamal the ball It paid dividends in his first over as Chanderpaul poked at one outside off to give Salman Agha a straightforwardsecondslipcatch. However, Jamal’s accuracy tailed off thereafter, and it was the metronomic Abbas again that Pakistanturnedtoo.Rizwanmoved up to the stumps to stop Jangoo venturing out, and the uncertainty that caused led him to play all around a straight one. The umpire initially turned down the appeal, but a late review produced three reds.ItleftWestIndiestonavigate a tricky final half hour before tea with Abbas zoned in, and while it wasn’t always convincing, Shai

But the skies overhead, which were sunny at the toss, began to darken ominously in the last half hour of play After 14 overs, the rain began to fall, and only grew heavier once the players came off, forcing the sides into an early lunch.

Both teams observed a minute of silence before the start of the game to mark the passing of Sir GarfieldSoberslastweek,withthe West Indies and match umpires wearingblackarmbands.

HopeandHodgegotthejobdone. Only 14.1 overs were possible in the morning before the heavens opened in Trinidad, with West Indies finding run-scoring exceptionallytricky,managingjust 23. The hosts won the toss and electedtobatfirstattheBrianLara CricketAcademy,whichishosting its firstTest match. Right from the start, Abbas was at his unerring best, settling into a fourth stump line West Indies did little to sway himfrom.Fiveofhissevenoversin themorningsessionweremaidens, withthebowlerfinallymakingthe pressure tell when Brandon King attemptedto breaktheshacklesby cuttingonethatwastooclosetohis body, and chopping on in the process. Whiletherewasn’tmuchswing onofferforeitherhimoranyofthe otherPakistanquickbowlersatthe time, Khurram Shahzad and MohammadAli, there was enough seam movement both ways to trouble the batters. A handful of close lbw shouts ended up going the hosts’ way, with Pakistan burningareviewwhenTagenarine Chanderpaul, who was exceptionally circumspect in an innings where he took 40 balls for hisfiveruns,wasstruckontheback leg. Hawkeye showed the ball, from Abbas, had landed just outsidelegstump.

Slingerz FC ahead of their clash with Prison Services FC in the CFU Club Shield in Trinidad and Tobago.

Slingerz FC march into CFU Sling Caribbean Shield quarter-finals with dramatic victory in T&T

Guyana’s premier football club, Slingerz FC,continueditsimpressivedebutcampaign in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Shield by securing a thrilling 4-3 victory over Trinidad and Tobago’s Prison ServiceFCtoadvancetothequarter-finals.

Playing at the iconic Haysley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on Saturday, Slingerzovercameadeterminedhomesidein a pulsating contest, with Derrel Garcia striking a dramatic late winner to seal the club’s second consecutive victory of the tournament.

The win books Slingerz a quarter-final showdown against Suriname’s Robin Hood onTuesday,withtheGuyanesesidenowjust onestepawayfromthesemi-finals.

Jamaican striker Kemar Beckford once again proved why he has become the focal point of Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz’s attacking unit, producing another clinical performancewithabrace.

Beckford opened the scoring in the 17th minute before doubling his tally in the 58th minute, continuing the rich vein of form he

hasdisplayedsincejoiningtheclub.

Hewould’vealsoscoredtwiceinSlingerz FC’spreviouswininthetournament.

NeronBorrow,whoalsofoundthenetin Slingerz’sopeningvictoryoverSWASharks, addedhisnametothescoresheetagainwitha goalinthe67thminutetokeeptheGuyanese outfitfirmlyinthecontest.

With the match finely poised, heading into the closing stages, Garcia struck in the 90thminute,momentsbeforestoppagetime, tosnatchadramaticwinnerandhandSlingerz amemorablevictory

The result underscores Slingerz’s attackingqualityandresilience,qualitiesthat have been on full display throughout their maiden appearance in the CFU Caribbean Shield Having already announced themselves with an opening win over SWA Sharks, the Guyanese champions have now made an emphatic statement on the regional stage and will carry significant momentum into Tuesday’s quarter-final clash against Robin Hood as they continue their quest for Caribbeansilverware.

Guyana’s Mixed Archery Team start the Central American and Caribbean Games

Guyana’s Target Archery athletes

Devin Permaul and Roshini Boodhoo completed their qualification rounds at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo DomingoonFriday

In their individual recurve quests under sweltering conditions and high humidity, Permaul, seeded 25th in the Recurve Men event.

He will move to the next phase of the competition, the elimination round matches, wherehewillface8th-seededAdrianMuñoz RodríguezofPuertoRicointheRoundof32.

While Boodhoo, seeded 29th in the tournament, will take on 4th seeded and world number 6 rankedAna Paula Vázquez FloresofMexico.

The matches will be contested under the WorldArcheryOlympicsetsystem,withthe first archer to reach six set points advancing tothenextround.

Traveling with the athletes is National Head Coach Ryan McKinnon who together with President of the Federation Vidushi Persaud-McKinnonpraisedbothathletesfor theirhardworkandpreparationleadingupto thispoint.

ArcheryGuyana’sPresidentsaid“Devin and Roshini have worked tirelessly to reach thislevelofcompetition.Qualifyingforand now able to represent our nation Guyana at the CentralAmerican and Caribbean Games isanachievementinitself,andweareproud oftheirdedicationandcommitment.Wewish them every success as they compete against someoftheworld’sbestarchers.”

Bothathleteswillnextcompeteontoday, with Boodhoo shooting at 2:00 pm and Permaul at 3:30 pm local time. The live scoring can be followed online at www.ianseo.net

Archery Guyana extends its best wishes to both athletes as they shoot under the Golden Arrowhead in one of the region’s biggest sporting stages. We know this is a difficulttimeforournationaswemournthe lossoflivesontheMVBarima.Inthistimeof grief,wehopethatparticipationinsportwill provide comfort, healing and unity as we standtogetherasonenation.

Many positive wishes and energy from Guyanatoourarcheryteamasyoucontinue yourquest.

2026/27 Concacaf Nations League Groups Confirmed Confir

…League B Guyana drawn in Group A

Concacaf recently conducted the official draw for the 2026/27 Concacaf Nations LeagueGroupStage.

The made-for-TV draw event, live from Miami, FL, was featured appearances by Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, as wellasformerstandoutplayersJaimePenedo of Panama and Billy Forbes of Turks and CaicosIslands.

Thefiftheditionofthetournamentwillbe played during the FIFA Match Windows of

September-October and November 2026, before culminating in March 2027 with the Concacaf Nations League Finals for League A and, for the first time, centralized ChampionshipsforLeaguesBandC.

The Concacaf Nations League will continuetobecontestedacrossthreeleagues, with national teams distributed based on results from the previous edition and the competition’s promotion and relegation system.

LeagueB:16Teams(GroupStage)

League B will feature 16 teams divided into four groups of four During the September-October and November FIFA

Match

atotalofsixmatchesperteam.

Continued on page 43

Permaul and Peterson lead Team Guyana as Flag Bearers at T CAC Games Opening Ceremony

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Archery's Devin Permaul and Taekwondo's Ceili Peterson proudly carriedtheGoldenArrowheadduringtheOpeningCeremony of the XXVCentralAmerican and Caribbean (CAC) Games on Friday at the iconic Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium, leading Team Guyana into the historic centennial edition of theregion'spremiermulti-sportevent.

The honour recognizes two outstanding athletes whose commitment,dedicationandexcellenceembodythevaluesof TeamGuyanaandtheGuyanaOlympicAssociation(GOA).

Permaul, one of Guyana's most experienced archers, has represented the nation at several major international multisportgamesandcontinuestobeamongthecountry'sleading archers. He currently holds aWorldArchery ranking of 451, with a career-best world ranking of 157, reflecting years of dedicationandconsistentinternationalcompetition.

Peterson is one of Guyana's leading elite taekwondo athletes and competes internationally in the Women's -49kg division Balancing high-performance sport with her academicstudiesinkinesiology,shehasrepresentedGuyana at several prestigious international competitions, including the2023PanAmericanGamesinSantiagoandthe2025FISU WorldUniversityGames.Amonghernotableachievementsis a silver medal at the 51st Dutch Open Taekwondo ChampionshipsinOctober2024.

The pair form part of Team Guyana's 55-member delegation,whichiscompetingacross10sportingdisciplines attheGames.

The2026CentralAmericanandCaribbeanGames,being heldfrom24Julyto8AugustinSantoDomingo,Dominican

Continued on page 43

Raja Pooran slams 106* for Essequibo Coast Cricket Club in OSCL T20

Former Guyana youth player Raja Pooran struck a pugnacious, unbeaten 106 to inspire Essequibo Coast Cricket Club to a comprehensive, 10-wicket win against Expendablesinthecontinuationofthe2026OntarioSoftball CricketLeague(OSCL)T20competition.

Playing at Littles ground last Sunday, the right-handed Pooran clobbered 12 sixes and six fours during his 26-ball display as Essequibo Coast Cricket Club reached 160 with 60ballstospare.Expendableshadearliertalliedup159-7at theexpirationofthe20-overs.

Pooran,whorepresentedWestIndiesOver-40Mastersin Pakistan earlier this year, also shared an enterprising, 160runopeningstandwithAmitArjunewhocontributed41not out.InExpendables’innings,RoopLatchmanhitatop-score of 41 whileAlvin Kistnasamiand Ganesh Budramchipped inwith31and24respectively

Desmond Ram grabbed 2-32 from his maximum four overs while Pooran proved his all-round capability by snappingup1-8inhis4oversaswell.

ThecompetitioncontinuesonSunday

Pakistan Tour of the West Indies 2026...

Hodge’s half century highlights opening day of first Test

Guyana’s Mixed Archery Team start the

Central American and Caribbean Games